'President's Rule in Meghalaya unfortunate'

GUWAHATI: Information and public relations minister in the NCP-led Meghalaya Progressive alliance (MPA), Manas Chaudhuri on Wednesday termed the union cabinet���s decision of clamping President���s Rule in the state as unfortunate. According to him, this decision has created a crisis in the state as several financial bills are pending to be tabled in the assembly.

Mr Chaudhuri while talking to ET over telephone said, "Our leader, former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma has spoken to BJP leader L K Advani. We are going to New Delhi on Thursday and will take legal opinion. We will move the Supreme Court. We are astonished how prime minister Manmohan Singh signed such a thing."

The minister added that the state assembly is placed under suspended animation. Official confirmation of presidential rule is yet to come as the president is at present aboard. However, the union cabinet has recommended President���s rule in the state. This move has plunged the state into crisis as vote on account is pending and other financial bills are also pending.

Mr Chaudhuri further said this act of the union cabinet is completely orchestrated. The MPA government has won the crucial trust vote on Tuesday. "When we passed the test in House, there is no need for any other test. This act has triggered a constitutional crisis in Meghalaya," he observed.

Mr P A Sangma has termed the union Cabinet's decision as "unwarranted" and "unprecedented". The one-year-old Donkupar Roy government had survived the trust vote with the Speaker casting vote in favour of the government.

Analyst felt that this act will affect the relationship between Congress and NCP. The Speaker had, under the Anti-Defection law, temporarily suspended five legislators late Monday night.

Congress has staged walk-out from the Assembly on Wednesday. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, commenting on the episode, said the MPA government had lost majority. He denied the allegation that the Assam Congress has worked in toppling the government there. "We were just strengthening the Congress party there. There is nothing wrong in it," he said.

MPA government is supported by NCP, UDP, BJP and Independent legislators.