SHILLONG, June 7 � With another deafening crack, Congress party in Meghalaya is one step closer to breaking with Stanley Wiss Rymbai abstaining from taking oath as a Minister at the Raj Bhavan today.
Rymbai was scheduled to be sworn-in as a Minister in beleaguered Chief Minister Mukul Sangma�s new Cabinet together with three others.
Although, first-time legislator, Saleng Sangma, BJP-turned Congress legislator, AL Hek and Shitlang Pale arrived and took oath of office and secrecy at the Raj Bhavan, Rymbai�s empty chair literally symbolised infighting within the party.
The Chief Minister during the whole swearing-in ceremony remained edgy, but he held his own, saying later that Rymbai has officially communicated to the Raj Bhavan of being unwell. �He (Rymbai) has officially informed the Raj Bhavan that he was unwell, so he couldn�t come today�, a visibly upset Sangma said when journalists asked about Rymbai�s absence.
Rymbai is said to be close to former Chief Minister DD Lapang. He won the Umroi by- election in 2009 largely with the blessings of Lapang who was heading the State then.
Sangma, sources said, wanted to lure Rymbai to his fold by offering him a Ministerial berth and thereby divide Lapang-loyalists.
ting into details, said: �you have to read between the lines.�
Sangma later this afternoon convened a Cabinet meeting and discussed various agendas. No Cabinet meeting was possible for the past two months due to the ongoing infighting.
Meanwhile, the Congress rebels this morning met All India Congress Committee members in New Delhi to discuss the present political scenerio and also demanded Sangma must be removed from his position.
The dissidents were assured by the AICC memebers that a meeting with Sonia Gandhi would be fixed later this evening to air their grievances dire
