ROW over nexus between militants and politicians and businessmen, ordinance declaring bandh as illegal and the issue of displaced Khasi-Pnars D. D. Lapang-led coalition in Meghalaya busy in 2003.

Congress-led five party Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) assumed office in last March after the February polls. The Congress after emerging as the single largest party with 22 seats in the 60-member house, cobbled a coalition including three independents. Later another independent MLA also joined the ruling regime as associate. In December, the Congress consolidated its strength by taking into its fold a splinter group of six of the 14 Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs. Four of the deserters were immediately awarded cabinet berths much to the chagrin of the opposition, which has vowed to take the matter to the court. MDA was thus able to provide a stable government in 2003, but three major issues prevented its smooth sailing.

While the State Government’s offer to two militants groups for talks went unresponded despite nomination of separate church leaders for facilitating dialogue with them. Angered by NCP national general secretary P A Sangma’s statement that he was ‘facilitating’ talks with outlawed Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC), the Lapang Government, armed with a letter from the Union government, said none was authorised by the Centre to do so and threatened to take legal action against the former Lok Sabha speaker.

The issue took a serious turn when a former NCP Minister, Adolf Hitler Marak, whose car was allegedly ferrying two ultras, was arrested by the police on June 27. Ignoring criticism, the Lapang regime acted tough on nearly 200 Shillong businessmen and registered cases against them also for allegedly funding the proscribed Hynniewtrep National  Liberation Council (HNLC). Later the police also arrested two senior members of the state’s Archery Association for the same offence. As the Supreme Court banned strike by government employees the Lapang cabinet in August decided to promulgate an ordinance prohibiting bandhs and declaring those illegal. The Government’s decision was criticised from within as one of the coalition partners opposed  the move.

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