NCP to extend support to Rymbai government

Shillong, Aug 25 (UNI) NCP leader Purno A Sangma today said his party would extend support to the J D Rymbai-led government in Meghalaya if he needed to prove his majority in the floor of the House.

NCP, the main opposition party in the state, has seven MLAs in a House of 59 members.

''We will extend our support to Mr Rymbai if he needs to prove his strength in the House,'' the Garo political stalwart told UNI here, over phone from New Delhi.

The latest offer to Mr Rymbai came in the backdrop of AICC leaders trying to iron out differences within the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) that surfaced over the past one-month.

Mr Sangma, former Lok Sabha Speaker, said the NCP's decision to support the Rymbai government was taken to ensure stability of the government and because of Mr Rymbai's 'clean image'.

''We are not in favour of frequent change of government and hampering developmental projects in the state,'' he said, adding Mr Rymbai's brief stint had already shown some changes.

''He (Rymbai) should continue to lead the government, as long as the people in the state are happy with his approach to develop the state,'' the NCP leader asserted.

A confident Chief Minister J D Rymbai before leaving for New Delhi yesterday told UNI he was ready to prove his majority in the floor of the House when required.

Of the 29 Congress legislators in the state, at least fifteen legislators have openly revolted against Mr Rymbai, demanding reinstatement of former Chief Minister D D Lapang as their Congress Legislature Party leader.

Earlier, leaders of the four regional parties - - United Democratic Party (8), Meghalaya Democratic Party (4), besides two each from Hill State People's Democratic Party and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement -- had informed Mr Rymbai that they still reposed faith in his leadership.

Meanwhile, the regional parties, which are part of the Congress- led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, urged the AICC not to take a unilateral decision regarding change of guard in the state.

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