Meghalaya CM refuses to speak on revolt

Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Thursday refused to speak about the reported move of Congress legislators to dislodge him.

"I have no time to react to those issues, as I am busy with government work which is in the interest of the public," Sangma told IANS a day after state party leaders met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and expressed displeasure at Sangma's style of functioning.

A party leader said the chief minister's loyalists were working hard to keep the party united.

The rift within the party surfaced during the Lok Sabha election when some party legislators and ministers openly worked against Vincent H. Pala, the official Congress candidate from Shillong parliamentary constituency.

On Wednesday, Meghalaya Congress chief D.D. Lapang, former chief minister Salseng C. Marak and Transport Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh met Sonia Gandhi in Delhi.

During the meeting, the trio spoke about the current political situation in Meghalaya, law and order and the decline of the Congress party in the state.

"We are hopeful that the party high command will take steps to remedy the situation in the state that includes change of the present leadership," Lyngdoh said.

Congress legislators had earlier met party vice president Rahul Gandhi about the growing dissent within the party.

In the 60-member legislature, the Congress is the single largest party with 29 seats - two short of majority. The Nationalist Congress Party, which has two seats, and 11 Independent legislators are extending support to the Congress.