Lapang makes all effort to prove majority before AICC

Shillong, June 10 (UNI) As dissident Congress MLAs continued to stick to their ''oust D D Lapang'' move, the Chief Minister was making all efforts to keep his fort intact amid rumours of resorting to ''horse trading''.

The political scene in Meghalaya suuddenly turned fluid following demand from a majority of Congress legislators for a change in leadership that forced the AICC high command to rush party secretary Maj Ved Prakash to the Meghalaya capital today.

A beleagured Lapang, who two days ago said he would step down if he failed to prove his majority, was however, trying his best to woo the dissident group, comprising about 20 of the total 29 party MLAs, in a house of 60.

Maj Ved Prakash is understood to have come here to make an on-the-spot assessment before Union Minister Oscar Fernandes's scheduled visit on June 12, the day fixed for the crucial Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting.

At least 20 Congress legislators on June 6 had informed AICC president Sonia Gandhi that they did not 'repose faith' in the leadership of Mr Lapang.

They faxed a message to her proposing the name of Meghalaya Parliamentary Affairs Minister and veteran Congress leader J D Rymbai to replace Mr Lapang.

Meanwhile, former Arts and Culture Minister and rebel Congress MLA Prestone Tynsong told UNI here this morning that Mr Lapang himself had telephonic talk with some of the dissident MLAs for a patch up and assured them of ministerial berth with plum portfolios.

Rebel Congress legislator Tonsing N Marak said even some of the Congress ministers had sent feelers to some of the dissident (Cong) MLAs assuring them of minsiterial berths.

However, both the leaders said the (dissident) MLAs rejected the ''desperate'' offer made by Mr Lapang and the Congress Ministers.

Rebel group spokesperson and former Home Minister Robert G Lyngdoh even claimed that at least three Congress ministers in the Lapang ministry gave indication to join their camp.

In his reaction, Meghalaya Home Minister H D R Lyngdoh admitted that the Congress minister made all efforts to woo the dissident MLAs.

''It is our foremost duty to woo them (Congress dissident MLAs) to work together under the leadership of Mr Lapang'', he said.

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