No threat to Rymbai, Lapang asked to work for party: Rebello

Ranchi, Sep 3 (UNI) AICC secretary-in-charge of Meghalaya Mabel Rebello today asserted that the recent political turmoil in the state was a ''closed chapter''and the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance regime ''stable'', saying former Chief Minister D D Lapang had been ''firmly'' asked not to ''rake up'' the leadership issue and concentrate on party work instead.

''There is no threat to Chief Minister J D Rymbai,'' Ms Rebello told UNI, adding that the Congress high command had firmly asked Mr Lapang not to nurture any ''plot'' to disturb the government and pay more attention to the party work in the state.

Meghalaya would go to assembly elections within two years and ''we have to work very hard'' to win back people's confidence, she said, recalling many ''unpleasant issues'' that rocked the state in the past three years.

''The Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education (MBOSE) issue, the police firing in Tura and Williamnagar in Garo Hills and then the former Chief Secretary P J Bazaeley controversy...all these issues could not be tackled properly leading to erosion of the party as well as goverment's image'', she noted.

Asked to comment on Mr Lapang's continued effort to come back to power, the AICC secretary said that nobody--neither Mr Lapang nor Mr Rymbai-- should think the party as their property...the high command's decision taken in the interest of the party must prevail,'' she said.

Citing the case of former Chattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, she said he did not have a single MLA with him but the party decided to appoint him as the Chief Minister and the decision was honoured.

''Likewise, Mr Lapang and his few aides should not look for opportunity to strike back,'' she said.

About Dr Mukul Sangma, the former Deputy Chief Minister who had to relinquish the office following the police firing in Garo hills over the controversial MBOSE issue, she said his support to the dissident group to dislodge the Rymbai government was noted.

Dr Sangma lost to NCP heavyweight Purno A Sangma in the last by-election to Tura parliamentary seat by more than one lakh votes, she added.

Specially after the MBOSE issue, his image took a beating in the Garo belt, she said.

Coming back to stability of the Rymbai government, she said all regional parties supporting the government already extended ''unanimous'' support to him and the NCP, with seven MLAs, also said that they would support the MDA under the leadership of Mr Rymbai.

''There is no threat to the present government,'' she asserted.

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