Rumblings in Congress ‘back’ to haunt Mukul
SHILLONG: After a brief lull, rumblings in the ruling Congress have resurfaced with the anti-Mukul Sangma group started seeking a change of leadership before the AICC once again.
The dissident leader DD Lapang has been summoned to New Delhi by the party high command. Lapang, accompanied by former PHE Minister Prestone Tynsong who was dropped in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, left for the national capital on Wednesday.
Other dissident leaders like FW Momin and Sayeedullah Nongrum are also likely to join Lapang on Thursday.
It is learnt that Lapang, who said it is a “purely personal” visit, was summoned by AICC leaders for a meeting convened by CWC member Oscar Fernandes.
The meeting likely to be held on Thursday will be attended by AICC general secretary in-charge of Meghalaya, Dhaniram Shandil and secretary Sanjay Bapna.
Meanwhile, Dr Mukul who had returned to the State from New Delhi just a few days ago rushed to the national capital again after attending a Planning Commission meeting in Guwahati on Tuesday.
The AICC summon to Lapang assumes significance in the wake of Dr Sangma’s failure to complete the Cabinet reshuffle that was okayed by the high command as per his request last month to save his chair.
Even after one month of the reshuffle, the Chief Minister could neither find the 12th man to fill up the lone vacant ministerial berth nor could pacify the dissidence.
The Chief Minister, despite continuous demand by the dissident legislators, has not yet convened the CLP.
While giving the green signal for the Cabinet reshuffle, the AICC had also told him in clear terms that he must gain the confidence of all the party legislators and that he would be tested in the CLP.
After the Cabinet reshuffle, Shandil along with Bapna had also visited the State but tried to downplay the leadership issue within the CLP and even gone to the extent of dismissing the blatant infighting within the State Congress over the leadership issue.
AICC for patch-up
Meanwhile, the AICC has been trying for a patch-up between the two warring factions, adds our New Delhi Correspondent.
Union Minister Vincent Pala, who is behind the move for a patch-up, is however out of the country on a private visit.
