SHILLONG: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president DD Lapang, who was projected as the leader of the dissident group, has patched up with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma that led to the recent induction of two ministers in the cabinet.
This is the second time in five years that Lapang showed his allegiance to the Chief Minister.
In July 2011, after the dissidents projected Lapang as the next leader, Sangma dropped four ministers and inducted three others to quell the rebellion. Later in August, one of the axed ministers, Prestone Tynsong, was re-inducted after Lapang’s mediation and that ended the dissidence prior to the Assembly polls in 2013.
Sources in the party said during the meeting prior to the recent reshuffle, Lapang had told Sangma that as a party president, he was ready to co-operate with him.
However, the sources added that it was after realising that there was a rift in the dissident group that Lapang decided to support the Chief Minister. After Tynsong secured the support of a few legislators during the demand for a change in leadership, Lapang was unhappy over the development and decided to support Sangma, the sources added.
However, a source in the party said on Sunday though Lapang has patched up with Sangma, there are other leaders who are trying to create division within the party.
