SHILLONG, April 14 (IANS): Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Thursday said there was no danger to his 11-month-old government while state Congress chief Friday Lyngdoh admitted there was a growing demand from some party legislators for removing the former.
"The direction of the high command (party chief) to me is that I should focus on developmental work and carry the state forward," Sangma told IANS after returning from New Delhi in the evening.
Asked on the growing demand for his removal, he said: "Whatever inputs I have received from all my sources I have shared with the high command."
When asked what could be the reason for the demand of his removal, he said: "Unless somebody (party legislator) tells me, I won't be able to respond to you."
Lyngdoh earlier admitted that there was a growing demand from some party legislators for removing Sangma.
"Some of them (Congress legislators) did inform me about their demand for a change of leadership, but officially they have not submitted any petition to me," Lyngdoh told IANS.
At least 18 of the 28 rebel Congress legislators in the 60-member state assembly are believed to have projected D.D. Lapang as a possible successor to Sangma.
Lapang, a veteran Congress legislator, resigned as chief minister April 20, 2010 after 21 of the 28 Congress legislators proposed Sangma's name as the new Congress legislature party leader.
The Sangma-led Congress government in the state is scheduled to complete one year in office April 20.
A Congress minister in the Sangma cabinet said dissidence against the chief minister was gaining momentum.
"They (rebel legislators) are not happy with the style and functioning of Mukul. He takes unilateral decisions on several projects without consulting others," he added.
Political instability appears to have become a permanent feature in Meghalaya, which has seen four governments since the March 2008 assembly elections.
