Meghalaya govt gets a reprieve

SHILLONG, July 29: The crisis-laden Congress-United Democratic Party (UDP) coalition ministry in Meghalaya on Thursday got a fresh lease of life with the Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum (MPF) - the joint parliamentary party of the two ruling partners - reiterating their firm commitment to the principles and provisions laid down in the joint 'agreement' signed by the two parties. The MPF met on Thursday under the shadow of reports in local dailies about the imminent collapse of the coalition government due to inter-party and intra-party differences arising from the emergence of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Reports are rife in the dailies about a fresh re-alignment of forces and a possible new coalition between the regional UDP and the NCP by throwing out the Congress. The meeting, presided over by chief minister BB Lyngdoh, was attended by all legislators from the Congress and the UDP. The Speaker, EK Mawlong, also the UDP president, did not attend the meeting.