Meghalaya CM likely to shuffle his cabinet

Shillong, Dec 25 (UNI) Meghalaya Chief Minister J D Rymbai is likely to effect a cabinet reshuffle after the week-long Christmas and New Year celebration, a senior Congress leader said.

The proposed reshuffle assumed significance in the backdrop of Congress's humiliating defeat in the Rongjeng assembly by-poll, which was won by NCP's Desang M Sangma in a four-cornered contest.

The ministers who are likely to face the axe include Ms Irin Lyngdoh, Mr Elstone D Marak and Sengran Sangma, Congress sources said, adding they would be replaced by dissident Congress MLAs-- former Deputy Chief Ministers Dr Mukul Sangma, Debora C Marak and former cabinet minister Boldness Nongum.

Sources close to the chief minister said Mr Rymbai would induct them to ''calm down'' dissidence in the party.

The induction of the three ministers in the Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance would take place during the visit of AICC envoy in-charge of Meghalaya Major (retd) Ved Prakash early next year.

The dissident Congress legislators had been demanding reinstatment of Mr Rymbai's predecessor D D Lapang as the CLP leader to lead the party ahead of the assembly election, scheduled to be held two years from now.

Mr Lapang was replaced by his trusted aide Mr Rymbai as the CLP leader in mid-June.

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