Fernandes likely to announce new CLP leader in Meghalaya

Shillong, Feb 26 (UNI) Union Minister of State Oscar Fernandes is likely to announce the results of the secret ballot to elect the leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in Meghalaya today.

Mr Fernandes, accompanied by AICC secretary in-charge Meghalaya Maj. (Retd) Ved Prakash, would declare the name of the CLP leader, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee President Onward L Nongtdu told UNI here.

Mr Fernandes refused to announce that his visit was to announce the name of the CLP leader.

''I have come here to discuss departmental work with Meghalaya government and meet the Congress legislators in the evening,'' Mr Fernandes told UNI here.

State Chief Minister J D Rymbai, who held discussions with both the AICC leaders, said Mr Fernandes was yet to disclose the purpose of the visit and agenda of the meeting with the Congress legislators tonight.

Mr Nongtdu said both the AICC leaders, Mr Fernandes and Mr Ved Prakash, would meet the Congress legislators to sort out the differences in the party.

Soon after their arrival here today, Mr Fernandes and Maj (Retd) Prakash met Chief Minister J D Rymbai and Governor M M Jacob.

Mr Rymbai and his predecessor D D Lapang had contested the election for the post of chief ministership. Altogether 29 Congress MLAs in the 60-member House exercised their franchise.

The political bickering between the two warring factions of the Congress existed ever since Mr Rymbai assumed power replacing Mr Lapang last June.

AICC President Sonia Gandhi had sent her envoy Maj (Retd) Prakash, who is the Congress observer for Meghalaya, here to iron out the differences between the warring groups but it did not yield any result.

The arrival of the AICC leaders in the state assumed significance in the backdrop of Ms Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel directing Mr Rymbai to continue his office till next year's election in the state.

UNI