Former CM, MPCC chief leaving for Delhi tomorrow
SHILLONG: There is a new twist in the dissidence brewing against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. Appearance of former Chief Minister SC Marak in the scene has given a new dimension to the demand for change of leadership.
Marak along with the MPCC president DD Lapang, who is now in the dissident camp, will meet the AICC leaders in Delhi next week. The duo is scheduled to leave for Delhi on Sunday.
The party sources said that the Deputy Chief Minister RC Laloo and Cabinet Minister HDR Lyngdoh are likely to accompany the two senior leaders of the party.
Marak in the past had admitted the presence of resentment among a section of Congress legislators over the style of functioning of the Chief Minister.
Several Congress legislators, both the dissidents and the loyalists, have been camping in Delhi for the last few days.
Lapang, while leading a delegation consisting of senior ministers HDR Lyngdoh, Prestone Tynsong and former Speaker Martin Danggo, recently met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi and narrated the political situation in the state.
It is, however, yet to be known whether the Chief Minister or his loyalists who were camping in Delhi met Sonia and Rahul or not.
Sources said that the Chief Minister has left for Bangladesh via Kolkata on Friday night, while MPCC working president Deborah Marak has arrived at the national capital from Ahmedabad on the same day.
Though there were reports that the dissident ministers Tynsong and HDR Lyngdoh would be dropped from the cabinet, sources said that such a decision was yet to be taken by the Chief Minister “as he prefers to adopt a ‘wait and watch’ policy.
When contacted, SC Marak told The Shillong Times that as a senior leader of the party he was concerned over the political development and wanted to settle it amicably.
Marak, however, downplayed that his visit to Delhi was with the sole intention of meeting the High Command by saying that there are other engagements too.
“Some sort of talks with High Command will take place during my meeting with the Central leaders and as one of the senior Congress leaders from the state, I am duty bound to apprise the situation in the State to the AICC leadership”, Marak said.
According to him, as a senior Congress leader he felt that if there was a misunderstanding among the legislators, “something is wrong and this needs to be addressed and settled.” Asked whether Lapang is also accompanying him during his trip to Delhi, Marak said that being MPCC president he is free to meet the AICC leaders.
To a question, Marak admitted that there is a demand for change of leadership.
“In this context, how far it is serious, I have to ascertain”, Marak said.
When asked whether he would be the next leader, Marak said, “That question does not come now. First we have to understand the situation and need to listen to both sides, and subsequently, whatever is the right step, we need to follow”.