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Meghalaya : Anti-Chief Minister move gains momentum

	June 12, 2006

Lapang on way out



Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D. Lapang is currently facing rough weather, and if media reports are any indication, it seems that his boat is likely to sink in the troubled waters any time. The Congress high command appears to be convinced that the only solution to the present crisis in the Meghalaya Congress would be “to replace Lapang as Chief Minister” of the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).



As many as 17 Congress legislators have openly expressed their dissatisfaction with Chief Minister D.D. Lapang’s “style of functioning” and demanded his immediate removal. These Congress legislators boycotted the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting held on June 5 and instead, held a separate meeting at the residence of CLP secretary Charles Pyngrope.



All the 17 MLAs (the number is said to have gone up to 20) have criticised Lapang’s leadership and held him responsible for creating divisions

within the party. These MLAs told the AICC as

well as its chairperson Sonia Gandhi that “Lapang

did not deserve to be the Chief Minister” as he

has lost the confidence of a majority of the

legislators. The dissident MLAs have projected

minister for parliamentary affairs and tourism J.D.

Rymbai as the best choice to replace Lapang.

A crestfallen Meghalaya Chief Minister D.D.

Lapang said on June 8 that he would step down if

it was proved that the majority of Congress

legislators has withdrawn support to his leadership.

However, at a news conference, the Chief

Minister rubbished allegations that he was dividing

the party and creating a wedge between MLAs to

retain power. Lapang said he believed that

“downsizing of the ministry was the main reason”

for the disgruntlement among the MLAs.