KHADC is a party-less organisation: Tynsong

SHILLONG:

Deputy Chief Minister in-charge District Council Affairs Prestone Tynsong, on June 20, said the autonomous district council is a “party-less organization” where anybody can go anywhere.

His statement came a day after the National People’s Party (NPP) toppled the United Democratic Party (UDP)-led executive committee in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) with the support of the Congress, which is heading the opposition bench in the state Assembly.

“The district council is a party-less organization where anybody can go anywhere, where anyone can join anywhere…,” Tynsong told reporters.

When asked if a similar political development can be expected in the state Assembly, Tynsong however said the state Assembly and the district council are two different institutions altogether adding “So I think that question does not arise at all as far as Assembly level is concerned”.

On the reason for toppling the UDP-led EC, the deputy chief minister, who is also NPP national vice president said, “Yes, I am a minister DCA which means I am looking after the welfare of the three district councils and it is not my duty to topple anybody but for that the elected members be it Garo, Khasi or Jaintia they are the one who does that, who choose their leaders.”

The UDP president Metbah Lyngdoh had expressed unhappiness at the manner in which the EC led by the party has been removed in the KHADC.

To this, Tynsong said, “As I said to you nothing of that sort because now it is purely dependable upon the elected members of the KHADC, so you ask from them, I think they are the best people to tell you exactly what is the reason and why new EC has been just established today inside the house.”

“As far as KHADC is concerned, we can say it is a party-less organization or party-less constitutional body but if you talk about the state Assembly or the state government, we are all intact,” he maintained.