Shillong, May 16 : Mukul Sangma today said the AICC was in favour of him continuing as chief minister of the state despite the demand by dissident Congress MLAs for a change of leadership.
The chief minister said this after returning from his long sojourn in New Delhi.
The dissidents, who were camping in the national capital for quite a while now, have also returned.
The dissidents, with the support of 18 Congress legislators, had met several AICC leaders in Delhi and apprised them about the need to change the leadership in the state as the chief minister allegedly functioned in an autocratic manner.
Sangma said the AICC leaders shared the view of the committee’s general secretary in-charge of Meghalaya, Dhani Ram Shandil, and his deputy, Sanjay Bapna, who had stated during their visit to the state that the current leadership should continue.
He also reiterated that everyone should work for the development of the state at this juncture.
The state administration had come to a standstill for nearly a month following the move by the Congress legislators.
With his chair safe, the chief minister may at the most go for a cabinet reshuffle to appease the ministers who had joined the dissidents to oust him from power.
Asked if he was planning a reshuffle, Sangma said, “I have been told by the AICC to study the ground reality.”
However, a senior Congress legislator said the resentment in the Congress would not subside after a mere cabinet reshuffle.
The dissidents indicated that they would intensify the demand for change of leadership and even threatened to resign from their respective posts to register protest.