AICC leaders to attend CLP meet in Meghalaya today

Shillong, Jun 15 (UNI) AICC President Sonia Gandhi has deputed Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and AICC Secretray General Oscar Fernandez to attend the cruicial Congress Legislature Party meeting to decide the fate of beleagured Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang today.

Mr Mukhrejee, who is virtually the number two man in the Congress led United Progressive Alliance government, and Mr Fernandez were asked to attend the special CLP meeting to be held at Hotel Pine Wood at 1600 hrs to ascertain whether the beleagured Chief Minister D D Lapang still enjoy the confidence of majority.

Mr Lapang yesterday evening flown to the national capital after he was summoned by the Congress high Command to discuss on the 'political turmoil'.

Earlier, Meghalaya Minister in-charge for Parliamentary Affairs J D Rymbai who joined the group of 17 rebel Congress MLAs on June 13 faxed a message to Ms Sonia Gandhi saying, "he is ready to take over the mantle from Mr Lapang." At least 17 rebel Congress MLAs had informed the Congress High Command to replace Mr Lapang with Mr Rymbai while accusing the former indulging in 'manipultaive politics'.

Soon after his arrival, the Chief Minister rushed to 10 Janpath and held consultation meeting with Ms Gandhi, Mr Fernandez and others on the fluid Meghalaya politics.

Sources closes to the Congress here said, the AICC President directed Mr Lapang to convene an emergent special CLP meeting to ensure that there should be no split in the Congress party.

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