Shillong, Feb 14: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday referred to the protest called by a conglomeration of NGOs against the election of the new GHADC CEM as “politically motivated”.

“It looks like the other NGOs (who are continuing with the protest) are politically motivated and they are trying to move things in a political manner. This is what it looks to me,” Sangma told reporters when sought for his comment on the ongoing protest in front of the GHADC premises.

The NGOs including GSU, ADE, FAF, AYWO, NESO and FKJGP staged a protest in the premises of the GHADC demanding the immediate ouster of GHADC CEM Rakesh Sangma and have announced their decision to further intensify their stir till such demand is achieved.

The chief minister informed that the NGEA, an employee association of the GHADC, along with other NGOs have backed out from the agitations to allow normal functioning of the district council, after realizing the newly installed executive committee is serious in resolving the issues that are there.

He further added that in a span of one week of taking over, the new EC was able to immediately release 4-5 months’ salary to the employees of the GHADC. “This is a big thing so really the NGOs are realizing that this new EC means business,” he said.

When asked, the chief minister maintained that Rakesh has been democratically elected as new CEM based on the constitutional provisions.

“There is no question of any kind of person following or not following. I thinks the democratic process in the system has allowed him to contest and therefore, I think that is an old story…,” he said.

Stating that there was no interferences from his side nor the party’s leadership, Sangma said, “therefore it is democratically elected process and that is the process that should be followed and it is the will of the MDCs that will go forward as they are the ones who have to run the district council.

So we try to stay away and not interfere in the overall process, we only try to support in the administrative aspect of running the council and whatever support we can give from the government side, we try to give not just to GHADC but to all the district councils.”