Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang resigned on Wednesday just before the trust vote in the assembly, saying his government was unable to muster a majority. "Congress could not get the requisite support, so the Congress Legislature Party decided to resign," Lapang told reporters shortly after a CLP meeting on Wednesday morning. He said he was going to Governor S S Siddhu to submit his resignation.
The former Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee chief accused the AICC of embarking upon a policy of phasing out senior and elderly people.
The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party, got the maximum number of 14 cabinet portfolios, while six were made ministers of state.
Shortly after his predecessor J D Rymbai resigned earlier in the day, Lapang called on Governor M M Jacob and staked claim to form the ministry stating that he was elected the new Congress Legislature Party leader.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram assured Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang on Wednesday that the Centre would not allow incidents of firing between the Border Security Force and Bangladesh Rifles to recur.
Senior Congress leader Donwa Dethwelson Lapang was on Wednesday sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, where President's rule was lifted on Friday.
Senior Congress leader D D Lapang was on Monday sworn in as Meghalaya chief minister by Governor S S Sidhu, who rejected the demand of the newly-formed Nationalist Congress Party-led Meghalaya Progressive Alliance saying the decision was aimed at preventing horse-trading. Stung by the Governor's decision, the MPA led by former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma decided to move the Supreme Court on Tuesday against installation of the Congress government.
Lapang retained cabinet affairs, political, personnel home (police), taxation, revenue, district council affairs and departments not allocated to any minister.
Lapang, facing revolt by at least 14 legislators, is expected to tender his resignation to Governor R S Mooshahary later on Monday after he returns from New Delhi along with 23 legislators.
Admitting that he has 'lost majority' in the Congress Legislature Party, Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang on Sunday said he is ready to quit, paving the way for his deputy Mukul Sangma to take over the reins.
The HNLC, which was formed in 1992, has been involved in bloody conflict with police and security forces in pursuant of their demand for a 'sovereign homeland' for Khasi tribe, one of the three major tribal groups in Meghalaya.
The decision to appoint Rymbai was taken during the meeting of the Congress Legislature Party held in Shillong.
Polling began to elect 60 members to the ninth Meghalaya Assembly from among 345 candidates on Saturday with an electorate of 15.3 lakh.
Dr Mukul Sangma on Tuesday took oath as the chief minister of Meghalaya, replacing veteran Congress leader D D Lapang, who quit as the Congress Legislative Party leader on Monday night after losing the support of 21 of the Congress' 28 Members of Legislative Assembly in the 60-member state assembly.Governor Ranjit Sekhar Musahary administered the oath of office to Dr Sangma and three other cabinet ministers at a ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan in Shillong today afternoon.
A blame game has begun within the Congress, even as legislators of the newly formed Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) decided to stake their claims to form the government in Meghalaya. The Congress, which emerged as the single largest party, has fallen short by just six seats to cross the majority threshold in the 60-member Assembly.
A seven-member coalition government of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance ministry led by chief minister Dr Donkupar Roy was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor S S Sidhu at the Raj Bhawan in Shillong on Wednesday evening after the Congress-led minority Meghalaya United Alliance ministry led by D D Lapang had quit office earlier in the day to avoid the trial of strength in the House.
Sonia Gandhi is still to reach a decision on the matter.
The struggle for power is a jigsaw between the Congress and the regional parties, with the state witnessing 18 governments in the last 35 years. With frequent toppling of governments marking the state's political history, the 18 regimes saw nine chief ministers, with some serving the state for as short as eight months
Rymbai was directed to step down and hand over the mantle to his predecessor D D Lapang.
The ruling Congress in Meghalaya, which is enjoying a wafer-thin majority in the 60-member assembly, has reportedly petitioned the party high command on attempts allegedly being made to create rift within the party.
How can a chief minister shrug off his responsibility not just for the illegality taking place under his nose but also for the lives that are likely lost? asks Aditi Phadnis.
The 60-member Meghalaya assembly had 30 Congress MLAs. Friday's resignation comes days after another Congress MLA, P N Syiem, resigned from the party.
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