Meghalaya to have new Chief Minister very soon

New Delhi, Mar 4: The change in leadership in the Congress-led J D Rymbai Government in Meghalaya is expected to take place immediately after the festival of colours "Holi".

According to Congress party sources, there was strong demand for the change in State leadership since September 2006 on various grounds.

The party High Command then deputed the party's North East in-charge Oscar Fernandes to ascertain the ground realities on this issue. Mr Fernandes visited the State and later submitted his report.

On receipt of the report, party president Mrs Sonia Gandhi summoned both the warring parties namely the present Chief Minister J D Rymbai and his predecessor D D Lapang to sort out their differences.

Mrs Gandhi's intervention resulted in a temporary truce between the two factions which lasted till the end of the last year.

From the beginning of this year, the factional war again started and this prompted the party High Command to ask Mr Ahamed Patel to look into the matter who had recommended for change in the leadership as the State would be going to elections in another eight months time and it would be very difficult for the party to retain power under the leadership of present Chief Minister Rymbai, the sources added.

Mr Rymbai came to power after dethroning Mr Lapang in mid June, 2006.

UNI