AICC directs Rymbai to quit office

Shillong, Feb 26 (UNI) In a sudden political development in Meghalaya, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has directed Chief Minister J D Rymbai to step down from the Chief Ministership.

However, AICC leaders Oscar Fernandes and Maj (Retd) Ved Prakash, who arrived here this morning, hinted that they would officially announce the AICC directive to Mr Rymbai to put in his paper during the official party meeting scheduled to be held at 2100 hours today.

Confirming the AICC directive to Mr Rymbai, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Onward L Nongtdu said the directive came after Mr Rymbai lost his majority in the secret ballot to elect the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the state.

Last month, Mr Rymbai and his predecessor D D Lapang contested the election for the post of Chief Ministership.

Altogether 29 Congress MLAs in the 60-member House exercised their franchise.

'' Yes, I have been asked by Mr Fernandes and Maj Prakash to step down as per direction of the party high command, '' Mr Rymbai told UNI here this afternoon after holding meeting with some of his Council of Ministers at his official residence.

However, Mr Rymbai said he would quit the office only after consulting his 15 Congress MLAs, who had supported him. '' I will abide by the party directives and quit the office provided my colleagues desire me to do so, '' the beleaguered Chief Minister stated.

Terming the directive as ''unexpected'', Mr Rymbai said he failed to understand on what ground he had been asked to step down.

'' Mr Fernandes had conveyed me about his visit, but he had never told me that his purpose of visit is to convey AICC's directive for me to step down, '' Mr Rymbai averred.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister D D Lapang, who was staking claim for the Chief Ministership refused to speak out on the sudden political development.

Mr Lapang's Congress MLAs, camping in his official residence, claimed that Mr Lapang was all set to return to the helms of affairs following the AICC directive.

UNI