Shillong, March 31: The demand for a leadership change in the Meghalaya PCC has gained momentum after the Assembly session with more legislators flocking to Delhi to meet Sonia Gandhi, seeking chief minister D.D. Lapang’s removal for the government’s poor performance in the past year.
The main reason for the demand, however, appears to be Lapang’s delay in accommodating senior Congress legislators in the ministry by dropping the Independents and Paul Lyngdoh, the lone KHNAM member.
A senior Congress legislator said over phone from Delhi today that of the total strength of 28, at least 16 Congress legislators were demanding a leadership change
“Three more will be joining us shortly to pressure the AICC to effect a change,” he said.
“We are waiting for an audience from Congress president Sonia Gandhi to get a clearance regarding the change to be effected,” the legislator said.
Prior to the just-concluded Assembly session, a section of Congress legislators met Sonia in Delhi and aired their grievances.
She said she would explore the possibilities to address the grievances of the legislators after the state Assembly session was over. She asked the disgruntled legislators to meet her in Delhi after the session.
Though the rebel Congress legislators have not proposed the name of any senior legislator as the next leader, the name of Speaker Charles Pyngrope is doing the rounds for the top post.
“We have not suggested the name of any one. We want the Congress president to select a new leader among the 16 legislators who are demanding a change,” a legislator, camping in Delhi, said.
The pro-Lapang camp, however, wants the chief minister to stay.
The prominent among them — deputy chief minister Mukul Sangma and urban affairs minister Prestone Tynsong — have told the AICC leaders that constant changes in the leadership would affect the development of the state.
At present, the AICC leaders are of the opinion that frequent changes would only create disunity in the party, a Congress minister said.
A Meghalaya PCC source today attributed the grievances of the senior Congress legislators mainly to Lapang’s delay in accommodating them in the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government.
The rebels wanted Lapang to drop three Independents, A.T. Mondal, Limison Sangma and Ismail Marak, from the ministry as well as the lone KHNAM minister.
They argue that despite having 28 Congress members, there are only six cabinet berths for the party in the 12-member ministry.
The main reason for the demand, however, appears to be Lapang’s delay in accommodating senior Congress legislators in the ministry by dropping the Independents and Paul Lyngdoh, the lone KHNAM member.
A senior Congress legislator said over phone from Delhi today that of the total strength of 28, at least 16 Congress legislators were demanding a leadership change
“Three more will be joining us shortly to pressure the AICC to effect a change,” he said.
“We are waiting for an audience from Congress president Sonia Gandhi to get a clearance regarding the change to be effected,” the legislator said.
Prior to the just-concluded Assembly session, a section of Congress legislators met Sonia in Delhi and aired their grievances.
She said she would explore the possibilities to address the grievances of the legislators after the state Assembly session was over. She asked the disgruntled legislators to meet her in Delhi after the session.
Though the rebel Congress legislators have not proposed the name of any senior legislator as the next leader, the name of Speaker Charles Pyngrope is doing the rounds for the top post.
“We have not suggested the name of any one. We want the Congress president to select a new leader among the 16 legislators who are demanding a change,” a legislator, camping in Delhi, said.
The pro-Lapang camp, however, wants the chief minister to stay.
The prominent among them — deputy chief minister Mukul Sangma and urban affairs minister Prestone Tynsong — have told the AICC leaders that constant changes in the leadership would affect the development of the state.
At present, the AICC leaders are of the opinion that frequent changes would only create disunity in the party, a Congress minister said.
A Meghalaya PCC source today attributed the grievances of the senior Congress legislators mainly to Lapang’s delay in accommodating them in the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government.
The rebels wanted Lapang to drop three Independents, A.T. Mondal, Limison Sangma and Ismail Marak, from the ministry as well as the lone KHNAM minister.
They argue that despite having 28 Congress members, there are only six cabinet berths for the party in the 12-member ministry.
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