SHILLONG: The UDP, a partner of the ruling coalition in Meghalaya, has demanded action against state minister and BJP MLA Sanbor Shullai for allegedly "interrupting" its president and Assembly Speaker Metbah Lyngdoh during a recent meeting with NDA presidential nominee Droupadi Murmu, a party leader said on Friday.
Leaders of the United Democratic Party alleged that Shullai behaved with Lyngdoh unparliamentarily while he was delivering his speech during the meeting and also sought Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma's intervention to take action against him.
The CM on Friday said he was aware of the concern raised by the UDP party functionaries and will act appropriately against Shullai who was charged of "unruly behaviour" during Murmu's recent visit to the state.
"I was there and saw what happened. It was not appropriate (to interrupt) at that point keeping in mind that the presidential candidate was present there. I had noted their (UDP leaders) concern. We will act appropriately," Conrad told PTI.
Lyngdoh, the UDP president and the speaker, had attended the meeting convened by the BJP presidential election committee at a resort in Ri-Bhoi district on July 6.
In the middle of Metbah's speech, Shullai interrupted which our party president and other leaders felt was uncivil and unruly.
"We would like to urge the BJP, which invited various political parties to the meeting with presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, to take action against its legislator. We also want the CM to take appropriate action against Shullai," UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh told PTI.
The meeting was organised to seek the support of the MLAs for Murmu in the July 18 presidential election.
According to Mawthoh, Lyngdoh had raised various issues of "alleged persecution of the minorities, including Christians and tribals in the country under the present dispensation, the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, the Inner Line Permit for protection and safeguard of people of the state among others".
"We would like the BJP to first take action against him and will see how we take this forward," he said.
The CM on Friday met Lyngdoh to discuss the matter.
The chief minister also said he felt that it was an opportunity for Lyngdoh to raise those before the presidential candidate.
BJP state president Ernest Mawrie, however, denied the allegation of unruly behaviour by the party leader during the July 6 meeting.
The UDP president had in fact raised issue of prosecution of Christians in Meghalaya to which Shullai objected to as there was no such thing here, he said.
Apologising for his conduct during the meeting, Shullai said the issues raised by the UDP president were taken up by the state unit of the BJP.