By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh has ruled out the possibility of a ‘split’ within the State Congress due to the ongoing political rumblings.
“I do not see any possibility of a split in the State Congress. None of the legislators would like to see such a situation emerge especially after seeing the fate of the NCP,” Lyngdoh told reporters on his arrival from New Delhi on Thursday.
He believed that all the legislators would like this ongoing crisis within the State Congress to be resolved amicably.
However, the Deputy Chief Minister on Thursday reiterated that the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) is the best forum to resolve the crisis.
“The CLP is the best forum to sort out differences within the party and the meet is very much necessary so that party legislators can discuss their grievances in a free and frank manner,” Lyngdoh said.
Lyngdoh also remarked that the AICC leadership could intervene especially to direct the CLP leader to hold the CLP meeting with all the 28 legislators of the party, although convening the meet is the prerogative of the CLP leader.
Lyngdoh who had gone on record saying that Dr Sangma had lost majority in the CLP as 18 legislators were against his leadership, did not face the axe and is still part of the “effective and coherent” Cabinet of Dr Sangma.
“I never anticipated that anyone would be dropped from the Cabinet,” Lyngdoh said in reply to a query if he had also predicted that he could be dropped from the ministry by Dr Sangma.
The Chief Minister has effected a Cabinet reshuffle with the blessings of the AICC and four rebel ministers – Founder S Cajee, Prestone Tynsong, FW Momin and Augustine D Marak – whom he considered as his detractors in the campaign for his ouster, were dropped.
Lyngdoh, the senior Congress legislator from West Khasi Hills, refused to accept that there is infighting within the CLP in view of leadership tussle. He termed it only as “misunderstanding” among legislators.
The Deputy Chief Minister also admitted that the crisis within the CLP has dented the party’s image but it will be only for a temporary period.
Earlier on Wednesday, all the four Ministers who were dropped from the Mukul Sangma led Cabinet had decided not to accept any political appointments until the Chief Minister convenes the CLP.
“We are not going to accept any political appointments unless the CLP is convened,” one of the ministers who was dropped said on condition of anonymity after his arrival from Delhi on Wednesday.
In all possibility Dr Sangma is likely to appoint the ministers who have been dropped as chairmen of various corporations and boards, he said while adding that this is the normal practice followed if anyone is dropped from the ministry.
Meanwhile, he said the AICC had assured that the CLP would be convened as soon as possible.
During their meeting with AICC president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel late Tuesday night, he said Patel had assured the dissident MLAs led by former Chief Minister DD Lapang that the CLP would be convened at the earliest.
The AICC also apprised that the party high command is giving Dr Mukul the last opportunity to resolve the ongoing crisis within the State Congress party, the former minister said.