Prakash arrives in Meghalaya to sort leadership issue

Shillong, Jan 17 (UNI) AICC leader Maj. (retd) Ved Prakash arrived here today to settle the ''inner squabblings'' in the party over the leadership issue in Meghalaya.

Maj Prakash will attend the crucial Congress Legislature Party meeting which will decide the fate of Chief Minister J D Rymbai, his predecessor D D Lapang and former deputy chief minister Mukul M Sangma.

The special meeting scheduled to be held at Pine Wood hotel here, will be attended by 29 Congress MLAs and Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Onward L Nongtdu.

Former Urban Affairs Minister Friday Lyngdoh who is in Vellore had informed AICC leader Oscar Fernandes of his inability to attend the CLP meet.

On January 8 AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi had directed Mr Rymbai to convene a meeting of party legislators to elect a new CLP leader.

Soon after his arrival, Congress legislators, including some ministers, held one-on-one meeting with Maj Prakash.

Former Chief Minister D D Lapang who is staking claim for the hot seat met the AICC leader. Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee Onward L Nongtdu briefed Maj. Prakash on the present political situation in the state.

Earlier, Ms Gandhi had sent her envoy Maj (retd) Prakash here to hammer out a compromise formula among the warring groups but it did not yield any result.

Recently, AICC leaders have said that this would be the last CLP meet to discuss on the ''leadership issue'' in the state.

UNI