Thaindian News

Shillong, Sep 13 (IANS) A day ahead of the trust vote in the Meghalaya assembly, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Tuesday said there is no threat to his coalition government.

“I don’t see any threat at all and we are ready to face it,” Sangma told journalists.

“We are all united and strong and we are focused on the developmental issues of the state. I am happy to see that our (ruling coalition) members are also focussing on all important issues,” he said.

Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope fixed Wednesday for debating the no-confidence motion brought by the opposition Nationalist Congress Party.

Leader of Opposition Conrad K. Sangma said the no-confidence motion was warranted since the government has failed on all development fronts, including maintaining law and order and dealing with the financial crisis.

“Our intention is not to topple this government and we don’t even have the numbers, but the no-confidence motion will highlight the various lapses of the government,” Conrad said.

The Congress is not taking the developmemnt lightly and has issued a three-line whip to all its legislators.

“We (Congress) have issued a three-line party whip to all party legislators, asking them to be present in the assembly when the motion is taken up,” Congress legislature party secretary Ronnie V. Lyngdoh said.

Sangma was sworn in as chief minister of a Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance coalition government April 20, 2010 after 21 of the 28 Congress legislators proposed his name as the new Congress legislature party leader.

The Congress enjoys the support of the UDP (nine members), HSPDP (2), KHNAM (1) and four independent members. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the main opposition in the state, has 15 members in the 60-member house.

Former chief minister and UDP legislator Donkupar Roy has promised his party’s support to the government during the motion.

“We (UDP) have issued a party whip to all members to be present in the house tomorrow and vote against the motion,” Roy said.