Shillong, Feb 16 : Chief minister Donkupar Roy today accused the Congress of “poaching” one of the eight United Democratic Party members elected to the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council to form a Congress-led executive committee.

Roy termed the “poaching” as “unjustified”.

“This is a sort of kidnapping and we are trying to find out whether the UDP member went on his own or was forcibly taken by the Congress”, the chief minister said.

He called for strict implementation of the anti-defection law on district councils as well to prevent horse-trading.

On the other hand, 15 Congress members elected to the JHADC today met at the residence of Congress leader and former chief minister D.D. Lapang and elected Hambertus Nongtdu as the next chief executive member (CEM) of JHADC.

Congress spokesperson R.C. Laloo said the party was also supported by one UDP member and an Independent, taking the tally of the Congress-led coalition to 17 in the 30-member House.

Laloo said as the anti-defection law was not applicable to the councils, the UDP member was free to join the Congress-led alliance in the JHADC to form the council’s next executive committee.

The governor is likely to notify the formal election of the CEM in JHADC on Monday.

Ten UDP members elected to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council met today at the residence of the chief minister and proposed the name of Celestine Lyngdoh to be the next CEM of the council.

Of the 28 seats in the KHADC, the opposition Congress got only eight seats, while the MPA coalition got 20 seats.