Lapang again faces dissidents146; fire

The 18 dissident Congress legislators today sent a signed letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi demanding Lapang8217;s replacement with senior Congress leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J D Rymbai. The dissidents have been projecting Rymbai as an alternative to Lapang. Former Home Minister and rebel Congress leader R G Lyngdoh said, 8216;8216;We have lost faith in the leadership of Chief Minister Lapang.8217;8217;

Dissidents are harping on lack of development as the reason for rebelling against Lapang. Lapang has been heading the four-party Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government for the last three years. Before the downsizing of the ministry, he was leading a 42-member jumbo ministry that included legislators from all the coalition partners. Lapang8217;s problem began once he had to trim his ministry to 12. However, the dissidence surfaced in the Congress and not from the coalition partners.

The first sign of rebellion against Lapang8217;s leadership surfaced early last year.