Need to take collective decision on Mawrie’s removal: Hek

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 19, 2021

BJP leader and cabinet minister Alexander Laloo Hek said the party has to take a collective decision on whether to remove the incumbent state president, Ernest Mawrie.  

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Hek said that he will not deny the fact that many people in the party have individually expressed that they want Mawrie to be ousted as the state president.

“People are not happy with the state president’s style of functioning but that is their individual opinion and therefore to remove him (Mawrie), we have to sit as a party and take a collective decision,” he said.

Hek also did not deny that discussion was also held with the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on the situation arising out of the Mawrie’s repeated allegation against the NPP-led state government.

His statement soon after the Chief Minister had claimed that almost half of the BJP leaders including two legislators in the state want Mawrie to be removed as the state president.

“The CM expressed that he is not happy with the style of functioning of the BJP state president and that he had also discussed this with the national leaders…I will not deny this,” Hek said.

Hek further admitted that it was wrong on the part of the BJP state president for attacking so much on the MDA government as well as the CM and his family.  “As part and parcel of the MDA government, the CM has the right to give his opinion on this,” he said.

On the other hand, the BJP leader however said the CM and other political parties cannot interfere into the affairs of the BJP.

“To remove the president is an internal matter of the BJP and only the BJP can decide on this but not people from outside the party,” he said.

He said the question of informing the CM about the move to remove the state president does not arise. “There is no question of communicating to him (CM) but we do discuss if somebody is doing wrong from the NPP or BJP,” he said.

Asked if there is any proposal to appoint South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai as new president of the state BJP, the minister said, “I will be very happy if the party collectively takes such a decision, I am willing to be part of the decision making. So far, no such proposal has come to my knowledge. If they take me also I am ready, if they take Sanbor also I am ready to work with him.”