Bowing to public pressure, Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, Rakesh Sangma resigned yesterday night from his post.
Sangma’s resignation letter was forwarded by the Secretary of GHADC to West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Ram Singh who has forwarded the same today the Commissioner and Secretary, District Council Affairs Department of the State government.
The State government is likely to propose a date later this week for holding of the special session of GHADC to elect the new CEM.
The special session has to be approved by the Governor after he receives the proposal from the State government.
A meeting of the 16 MDCs of the ruling NPP-led alliance met in Tura yesterday evening and decided to nominate GHADC Deputy Chairman Albinush R. Marak as the CEM candidate.
Marak, who is also MDC from Siju constituency also resigned today from the post of Deputy Chairman of GHADC before running for the CEM’s election.
It may be mentioned that Rakesh Sangma was elected as the CEM of the GHADC on January 31.
In the election held for the post, Sangma secured 15 votes whereas his opponent Benedic Marak supported by the Trinamool Congress got 13 votes.
However, since the day he was elected Sangma had to face widespread public protest in various parts of Garo Hills as people and pressure groups claimed that being the son of a non-tribal he should not run GHADC which is the custodian of tribal interests.