Meghalaya State Olympic Association calls on Sports Minister
Staff Reporter
Shillong, March 17: Officials of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association (MSOA) called on the new Minister in-charge Sports and Youth Affairs Shakliar Warjri at his official chamber yesterday.
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During the first meeting, a number of issues were discussed including the programs conducted jointly between the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs and the MSOA.
The officials of MSOA also informed the minister that as per the Constitution of the MSOA the sports minister is also ex-officio President of the Meghalaya State Olympic Association.
John F Kharshiing, Working President, MSOA and Finely L Pariat, General Secretary, extended invitation to the minister to spare time to visit the MSOA office at JN Stadium so as to enable MSOA to invite all the presidents and secretaries of the various state associations under its umbrella to interact and meet him.
The minister has agreed to visit the office MSOA at an appropriate time after the upcoming session of the Meghalaya Assembly.
The meeting was also attended by Matsiewdor War Nongbri, Vice President, MSOA & President Meghalaya Archery Association, Paia War Nongbri, Secretary, Meghalaya Archery Association, Dipshon Rynthathiang, P Laloo, EH Passah Executive Council Member, MSOA including Ian Campbell, Olympian and other sports officials.
Hek, Shullai to share cabinet berth
Staff Reporter
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, 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.
Shullai said he does not have any problem waiting for his turn to take over as cabinet minister after 2 and a 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.”