Party united, reshuffle has a purpose: Sangma

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Claiming that the Congress in Meghalaya was united despite the rumblings, chief minister Mukul Sangma on Tuesday said the reshuffle in the Cabinet effected today had a “purpose”.

“If the party is not united, the government would have fallen by now,” Sangma told reporters after the swearing-in of four new ministers inducted by dropping four rebel Congress MLAs.

He said the reshuffle had a “purpose" and that it was needed to ensure that there is effective coherence in the Cabinet which will deliver in conformity with the aspirations of the people.

He was obviously referring to the virtual non-cooperation by at least four Cabinet ministers due to which, according to sources, the CM has been unable to hold a Cabinet meeting since March 28.

“On Tuesday if we compare Meghalaya with other states, we are very backward. We are centuries behind. It (reshuffle) was very important for acceleration of development,” Sangma said.

He said that he has been informing the party high command of the developments.

Asked if the four dropped ministers do not resign, Sangma said, “If they do not resign, it is called withdrawal of pleasure from the council of ministers. In other words we call it dropped”.

Sangma was facing a revolt from 15 of the total 28 Congress legislators who were unhappy at his “autocratic way of functioning”.