Strange as it may sound, the north-eastern state of Meghalaya now has four ‘chief ministers’.
The Congress-led government had this peculiar arrangement after the rank and status of Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee president Friday Lyngdoh was elevated to that of Chief Minister D D Lapang on Thursday, apparently to douse a simmering discontent within the main party in the ruling coalition.
Lyngdoh earlier enjoyed the rank and status of a deputy chief minister. Lapang, a veteran Congress leader, had assumed office as chief minister on May 13 last year.
With an elevation in Lyngdoh’s status, the ruling alliance now has three leaders, apart from Lapang, who enjoyed the status of a chief minister. The two others are leaders of the United Democratic Party — State Planning Board chairman Donkupar Roy and Meghalaya Economic Development Council chairman J D Rymbai.
