MDA drums up support for Jemino, NPP chief terms previous Congress government as “JCB Govt”

Shillong, Apr 2: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said that the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government does not discriminate anyone as all coalition partners are equal even as he termed the previous Congress government led by former chief minister, Mukul Sangma a “bulldozer (JCB) government.”

Addressing an election rally of the MDA at Polo Ground here on Tuesday to drum up support for Jemino Mawthoh who is the United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate from Shillong Lok Sabha constituency, Conrad recalled a conversation between one of the Congress cabinet ministers and father late Purno Agitok Sangma where that minister had described the Mukul Sangma-led government as a “JCB government.”

“My father asked him (I don’t want to take his name but he is here among us) how is this government (led by Mukul) working? That minister told my father that the government was nothing but a JCB government. Dr Mukul Sangma is the JCB where everything he will take and nobody can say anything against the JCB government,” he said.

Continuing with the story, Conrad said, the MLA from Rongara-Siju, Rakkam Sangma when he was giving a speech in Baghmara, he had also told the people the same story.

“Mr Rakkam Sangma said that like the government of Dr Mukul that was given the name JCB, this MDA government however is a dumper government, as it gives everywhere to everybody,” Conrad said.

He said that every single leader will tell that any decision taken by the MDA has always been together. “The chief minister will not take any decision alone, he will discuss with the coalition partners and in the cabinet. The cabinet and the Chief Minister will always respect the MLAs, their constituencies and their work. CM will always respect cabinet colleagues, and will give them the authority to work in their particular department,” he said.

“This is the way our coalition government is working and we are working in a very positive way. In our coalition government we don’t discriminate on the basis of political party or region or tribe or religion. We are a coalition that always looks at every single citizen as ours. When we are in the government, the government is for all. It is the responsibility of the government to always work for every single citizen of the state irrespective of political affiliations, region or tribe,” the Chief Minister said adding, that is why there is a lot of sense of unity and positivity in this government.

Stating that the MDA government has been in power for past one year, the chief minister said whenever he meets his MLAs and cabinet colleagues, he would remind them that being in power or being a minister or a chief minister is not a privilege.

“Let us not take pride or be proud for the fact that we are ministers or that we are part of the government. Instead being in the government, we must be looked at as an opportunity that the almighty God has given us to make a difference in our people’s lives,” he said.

“We must realize that it is an opportunity for us, and we need to be humble. We need to realize that everyday matters, and there should not be a single day that we forget the difficulties that our people face,” the chief minister said.

He also called for unity among the people of the state and the North East in raising issues and making the voice heard in Delhi.