Lapang frontrunner for Meghalaya CM post: Kyndiah

Shillong, Feb 24: Union Tribal Affairs Minister PR Kyndiah today backed Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang, as the frontrunner to retain the post if the Congress returned to power after the March 3 assembly elections.

''If everything goes well, Chief Minister DD Lapang has the chance of becoming the next leader, ''Mr Kyndiah said. ''He is capable of running the state in the next five years,'' the Union minister told reporters here. Mr Kyndiah"'s statement assumed significance in the backdrop of Deputy Chief Minister and Congress candidate Mukul M.Sangma, also a contender for the coveted post. Former chief Minister SC Marak, contesting from Resubelpara assembly constituency, was another strong contender for the hot seat. Mr Kyndiah, the local MP representing Shillong parliamentary constituency, was here to campaign for Congress, which faces strong opposition from the Nationalist Congress Party for the March 3 polls.

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Gurkha group demands India state

Supporters of a Gurkha political group have set up road blockades in India's eastern hill town of Darjeeling demanding a separate state.

The Gurkha Liberation Forum (GLM) opposes an autonomy plan for the region finalised by the government.

It is a breakaway faction of the Gurkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) that controls the local council.

The GNLF fought for a Gurkha state for seven years until it signed an agreement with the Indian government.

The 1988 agreement led to the creation of the autonomous Darjeeling Gurkha Hill Council with Mr Subhas Ghishing as its head.

Now the breakaway faction GLM opposes a new autonomy package for the region finalised by the Indian and the West Bengal government.

"We want a separate state for the Gurkhas who are the majority population here," said GLM chief Bimal Gurung.

Mr Gurung is a former confidante of the GNLF supremo Subhas Ghishing who has been the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council chairman since 1988.

Protest

On Monday, as Mr Ghishing returned from Delhi having finalised the autonomy package with the federal government, hundreds of Mr Gurung's supporters set up blockades on all roads leading to Darjeeling.

Mr Ghishing avoided an immediate confrontation when he said he would rest "for a few days" in a resort in Pintail in the foothills, about 70km from Darjeeling.

Bimal Gurung said he would call for an indefinite strike in Darjeeling from Wednesday if the autonomy plan was not dropped and if Mr Ghishing did not resign as chairman of the Darjeeling Hill Council.

But Mr Ghishing insisted that the future arrangement for Darjeeling will revolve round the autonomy plan.

"This provision has worked in India's north-eastern states and it should help us fulfil the aspirations of the people of Darjeeling," said Mr Ghishing.

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