Meghalaya CM meets Governor, hints at Cabinet reshuffle

Meghalaya Chief Minister DD Lapang, under pressure from a section of the party MLAs to quit, called on Governor MM Jacob and apprised him of the political situation, Rajbhavan sources said on Thursday.

Although the sources did not divulge what exactly figured in their meeting on Wednesday night, it was believed that they discussed imminent Cabinet reshuffle.

Meawhile, the two Congress observers Ramesh Chennithala and Mabel Rebello, sent by the party high command to defuse the leadership crisis, met party MLAs individually on Thursday to elicit their views.

Lapang on Wednesday hinted at a Cabinet reshuffle, saying "some efficient legislators were out of the ministry (because of the downsizing exercise)" and "making adjustments is not impossible because there is nothing like permanent minister."

He also claimed he had support of 17 Congress legislators out of the 27 and ruled out any change in leadership.

CWC member Chennithala and AICC Secretary Rebello were also scheduled to meet coalition partners of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA).

A section of party MLAs demanded Lapang's resignation and projected MPCC President SC Marak after the Government received two jolts in the assembly by losing a resolution on the shifting of assembly issue on December 20 and when the Speaker deferred a Money Bill to the next session after stiff resistance from some ruling and Opposition members the next day.