Shillong, March 7: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided that the cabinet berth will be shared between the two of its MLAs – Alexander Laloo Hek and Sanbor Shullai.
The decision came a day before Hek was sworn-in as cabinet minister in the Conrad K Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA-2) government.
In a letter to the NPP chief on Monday, the BJP state president Ernest Mawrie said, “The party and its MLAs have symbiotically agreed to allow AL Hek to hold the berth for the first two and a half years which will end on August 7, 2025 following which Sanbor Shullai will hold the cabinet berth for the remaining term. Both the MLAs are hereby asked to respect and abide by the decision of the party and work mutually to ensure good governance and also to ensure check and balance.”
“Thus, I request your esteemed office to kindly honour the decision of the party and ensure both the MLAs get equal opportunity considering their seniority and support to your government,” he added.
BJP Meghalaya In-charge Dr M Chuba Ao along with Hek and Shullai were also signatories of the letter submitted to the NPP chief.
After attending the swearing-in ceremony of the 12-member council of ministers, Shullai told reporters that this time an official agreement to share the cabinet berth between the two MLAs was made in the presence of the party leaders unlike in the last term which was only a “verbal agreement”.
“Besides the chief minister, the letter was also sent to the BJP national president JP Nadda and general secretary Rituraj Sinha,” he said.
When asked, Shullai said he does not have any problem waiting for his turn to take over as cabinet minister after 2 and half years.
On his role in the government, the former cabinet minister said, “It will depend on the prerogative of the chief minister. I will accept anything for the interest of the people of my constituency.”
