Rymbai confident to complete term

Shillong, Aug 6 (UNI) Beleaguered Meghalaya Chief Minister J Dringwell Rymbai today expressed confident that he would complete his term.

He said he was not concerned with the issue of change of leader in the state.

Mr Rymbai statement assumed significance in the backdrop of AICC observer in-charge Meghalaya Maj. (Retd) Ved Prakash visit here to iron out the difference in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).

''There is no need of change of leader, if they prefer the performance of the government or the number game,'' Mr Rymbai told reporters here in the wake of at least 15 dissident legislators demanding to re-instate former Chief Minister DD Lapang as their CLP leader.

However, Mr Rymbai felt the party should start preparing its groundwork for next assembly election due in 2008 instead of demanding change of leader every now and then.

''I told Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Onward L Nongtdu to get ready for the 2008 election including the Rongjeng bye-election,'' he added.

Mr Rymbai, who took office from Mr Lapang on June 15 last, said he had already informed AICC president Sonia Gandhi on this issue.

''It's upto the AICC to decide whether they prefer performance of the government or number game,'' the soft-spoken chief minister asserted.

Mr Rymbai also criticised the dissident MLAs for terming his government an ''inefficient'' one. ''how could they equate my 50-day old government with the three and half years' government of Mr Lapang,'' he said UNI RRK PC DB VA RS2135