03-19-2008, 10:37 PM
<b>Congressman gets kicked out of CM post which he tried grab through the congress appointed governor.</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Lapang quits, Donkupar appointed new Meghalaya CM</b>
Wed, Mar 19, 2008
Ending a week-long political turmoil in Meghalaya, <b>Congress-led D D Lapang Ministry on Wednesday resigned ahead of the trust vote in the assembly after failing to muster majority and rival UDP leader Donkupar Roy was appointed the new Chief Minister.</b>
Roy, who met Governor S S Sidhu along with other MLAs of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance, which is headed by NCP leader P A Sangma, was handed over the letter appointing him to lead the new government, Raj Bhavan sources said.
He will be sworn in at 6.30 pm at the Governor's house.
MPA spokesman and Khnam MLA Paul Lyngdoh said along with Roy, a batch of five to six ministers are expected to take oath.
Earlier, capping speculation, Lapang, who was heading the minority Meghalaya United Alliance, resigned, half an hour ahead of the floor test he was to face in the assembly on the directions of the Governor.
Speaking to reporters after a Congress Legislature Party meeting, Lapang, who had the support of 28 members including two independents, said <b>"Congress could not garner requisite support. So the CLP decided that I should resign".</b> <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Thereafter, he went to the Governor and submitted his resignation.
Lyngdoh said the other new ministers would be sworn in on Thursday after the election of the Speaker.
<b>Sangma, the architect of the MPA, said the alliance members would meet before the swearing in to finalize other formalities and details.</b>
He also indicated that the ministerial berths have been finalized, but refused to disclose them.
<b>Besides 14 NCP MLAs, MPA comprises 11 from UDP, two from Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP), one each from BJP and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) besides two Independents.</b>
Meanwhile, the state assembly, which was scheduled to start from today, was adjourned by the Pro Tem Speaker Hopingstone Lyngdoh.
Reading out Lapang's resignation letter, Lyngdoh adjourned the house immediately afterwards saying there was "no more business to transact".
Lapang, who was sworn in on March 10 after the Congress emerged as the single largest party, had been asked by the Governor to prove his majority in the House within ten days.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Lapang quits, Donkupar appointed new Meghalaya CM</b>
Wed, Mar 19, 2008
Ending a week-long political turmoil in Meghalaya, <b>Congress-led D D Lapang Ministry on Wednesday resigned ahead of the trust vote in the assembly after failing to muster majority and rival UDP leader Donkupar Roy was appointed the new Chief Minister.</b>
Roy, who met Governor S S Sidhu along with other MLAs of the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance, which is headed by NCP leader P A Sangma, was handed over the letter appointing him to lead the new government, Raj Bhavan sources said.
He will be sworn in at 6.30 pm at the Governor's house.
MPA spokesman and Khnam MLA Paul Lyngdoh said along with Roy, a batch of five to six ministers are expected to take oath.
Earlier, capping speculation, Lapang, who was heading the minority Meghalaya United Alliance, resigned, half an hour ahead of the floor test he was to face in the assembly on the directions of the Governor.
Speaking to reporters after a Congress Legislature Party meeting, Lapang, who had the support of 28 members including two independents, said <b>"Congress could not garner requisite support. So the CLP decided that I should resign".</b> <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->Thereafter, he went to the Governor and submitted his resignation.
Lyngdoh said the other new ministers would be sworn in on Thursday after the election of the Speaker.
<b>Sangma, the architect of the MPA, said the alliance members would meet before the swearing in to finalize other formalities and details.</b>
He also indicated that the ministerial berths have been finalized, but refused to disclose them.
<b>Besides 14 NCP MLAs, MPA comprises 11 from UDP, two from Hill State People's Democratic Party (HSPDP), one each from BJP and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) besides two Independents.</b>
Meanwhile, the state assembly, which was scheduled to start from today, was adjourned by the Pro Tem Speaker Hopingstone Lyngdoh.
Reading out Lapang's resignation letter, Lyngdoh adjourned the house immediately afterwards saying there was "no more business to transact".
Lapang, who was sworn in on March 10 after the Congress emerged as the single largest party, had been asked by the Governor to prove his majority in the House within ten days.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->