Fernandes likely to announce new CLP leader

Shillong, Feb 26: Union Minister of state Oscar Fernandes islikely to announce the results of the secret ballot to elect the leaderof the Congress Legislature Party in Meghalaya today.

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

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

''I have come here to discuss departmental work with Meghalayagovernment and meet Congress legislators in the evening,'' Mr Fernandestold UNI here.

Chief Minister J D Rymbai, who held discussions with both the AICCleaders, said Mr Fernandes was yet to disclose the purpose of the visitand agenda of the meeting with the Congress legislators tonight.

Mr Nongtdu said both the AICC leaders, Mr Fernandes and VedPrakash, would meet the Congress legislators to sort out thedifferences 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 theelection for the post of chief ministership. Altogether 29 CongressMLAs in the 60-member House exercised their franchise.

The political bickering between the two warring factions of theCongress existed ever since Mr Rymbai assumed power replacing Mr Lapanglast June.

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

However, arrival of the AICC leaders in the state assumedsignificance in the backdrop of Ms Gandhi's political secretary AhmedPatel directing Chief Minister J D Rymbai to continue his office tillnext year's election in the state.

UNI