NEW DELHI, July 10 ? Amid dissent by few ministers in Meghalaya who were dropped in the downsizing exercise, Chief Minister D D Lapang has admitted that some of them may be unhappy but said the Constitutional provision had left no option before him, reports PTI. ?Naturally some of them may be unhappy but once the law is made, there is no option but to follow it. I had to carry out the exercise with a heavy heart,? Lapang told reporters here Thursday night.
The Meghalaya ministry comprised 39 members, including the Chief Minister, before the downsizing on July 7. Prominent among those dropped was R G Lyngdoh, who was Home Minister.He was believed to be Lapang?s trusted lieutenant and has reportedly refused to accept the parliamentary secretary?s post which was offered to pacify him. Others who reportedly expressed dissent were Irin Lyngdoh, K K Dkhar and T C Lyngdoh.
Lapang, however, refused to be drawn into a controversy as to why he dropped R G Lyngdoh, saying ?law was foremost.? Lapang said most of his former colleagues had taken the downsizing exercise in a ?very positive? way. ?Once I announced that the ministry has to be downsized to 12 as per Constitutional requirement, they decided to hand in their resignations so that I could have full freedom to select my team,? he said.