AICC gives clean chit to Meghalaya CM

Shillong, Jan 24 (UNI) The tussle over the Meghalaya chief ministership came to an end with AICC giving the green signal to Chief Minister J Dringwel Rymbai to complete his term.

The decision of the AICC came after Mr Rymbai met AICC president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel at New Delhi yesterday.

''Mr Patel has directed Mr Rymbai to continue his office till the next general election,'' state Minister in-charge Public Health Engineering Prestone Tynsong told UNI here today.

Former Chief Minister D D Lapang, also staking claim for the chief ministership, was also present at the meeting along with Maj (retd) Ved Prakash.

The AICC backing Mr Rymbai as the leader of the state assumed significance in the backdrop of strong opposition from various quarters in the state to replace Mr Rymbai with his predecessor Mr D D Lapang.

''The AICC want us (Congress legislators) to concentrate from next years election rather than changing Congress Legislature Party leader all the time,'' Mr Tynsong said.

When asked, Mr Tynsong said Mr Ahmed Patel did not even discuss the outcome of the recent CLP meeting.

''In fact, it appears that the AICC was not even aware of the election of the new CLP leader,'' the Congress minister said.

A fortnight ago, altogether 29 Congress legislators elected their new Congress Legislature Party leader through a secret ballot.

Mr Rymbai and Mr Lapang contested for the post of chief ministership.

The election was supervised by AICC secretary in-charge Meghalaya affairs Maj (retd) Ved Prakash.

UNI