Instability in Meghalaya: Cong threatens to withdraw from govt

TURA, March 3 ? The Congress(I) has given a veiled threat of withdrawal from the present FA Khonglam government in Meghalaya following demands from its partymen. This threat was given at the first annual youth conference of the party at Tura district auditorium on Saturday where Congress heavyweights lashed out at the NCP and other parties for creating instability in the State. The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president and former Chief Minister, Salseng C Marak, said that the only reason the Congress was continuing in the government was because there was no alternative. With elections just a year away, it would be improper to start afresh with a new government that would not be able to achieve anything, remarked Marak. As the demand for withdrawal by partymen was immensely strong, Marak said that he along with other leaders would meet the Block and District Congress president at Tura on the March 13 before taking a final decision on the matter. On demands for a Garo candidate to be elected to the Rajya Sabha this time, Marak said that the party was following the earlier tradition set by Late Captain Williamson Sangma, Meghalaya?s first Chief Minister. The Late Captain had made it mandatory for the Rajya Sabha seat to be given in a rotation system has been done away with and the seat was now open to all in the party.