By IANS,
Shillong: The United Democratic Party (UDP), which is a constituent of the Congress-led coalition government in Meghalaya, Sunday said it will continue its support under a new chief minister.
“The leadership issue in the Congress legislature party is not our concern,” UDP chief and former chief minister Donkupar Roy told IANS.
The UDP, with nine legislators in the 60-member house, is the second biggest constituent of the ruling Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA). The Congress has 28 members, and one Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) and four Independent members are also supporting the government.
The main opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has 15 members.
“We have made our commitment to the Congress and, therefore, we will continue to support the Congress till the end of the (house’s) term,” he said, while reacting to D.D.Lapang’s resignation as the chief minister.
Lapang submitted his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi Sunday, admitting that he had lost the support of the majority of the Congress legislators, after Mukul M.Sangma, his trusted aide and deputy chief minister, was unanimously chosen his successor by 21 of 28 party legislators late Saturday. It was accepted, a party leader told IANS from New Delhi.
The Congress legislators will meet here Monday to elect a new leader.
Meanwhile, Sangma said: “All (Congress members) have pledged their unconditional support to me, to ensure coherence and unity in the Congress legislature party.”
Congress rebels had demanded Lapang’s removal on charges that Meghalaya had not made any progress under his leadership. The rebellion started March after 14 Congress legislators asked Lapang to sack two independents – Ismail R. Marak and Limison Sangma – as well as KHNAM leader Paul Lyngdoh from the cabinet to accommodate Congress members.
When Lapang failed to do so, the rebels pressed for his removal.
With the new chief minister, Meghalaya will get its fourth government in a little over two years of the present legislature’s term.