Cong refuse to name anyone as next CM

SHILLONG, FEB 13: The Congress party is keeping its chief ministerial candidate a closely guarded secret as the AICC leaders are not willing to name anybody for the top job if the party is voted to power.

AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik told reporters during a news conference on Wednesday, “The matter would be decided only after the Congress form the government in the state.”

Even as the party is confident of forming the next government, both the state and central leaders are not willing to indicate anybody’s name, including the present chief minister Mukul Sangma, as its choice for the top job.

Party sources say that the reason for not naming the chief ministerial candidate by the Congress is the fear that it will open up to many fronts and damage the party’s prospect in the forthcoming elections.

It is anybody’s guess that senior Congress leader and former chief minister DD Lapang is looking to make a comeback as the chief minister, Sangma too will claim the top job as he is the incumbent chief minister and will surely take the credit if the party is voted back to power.

The third likely claim might emerge from former chief minister and senior Congress leader Salseng C Marak, who had lost the 2008 assembly election, if he wins. However, Marak is unlikely to project himself as a contender to the top post unless he is egged on by other party colleagues, which is most likely.

Wasnik also informed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be addressing the Congress election rally in Shillong on February 15.  He also said AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi will also be addressing public meetings in different parts of the state. Other Congress dignitaries who are schedule to visit the state to campaign for the party are union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, AICC general secretary Oscar Fernandes, defence minister AK Anthony and union minister of state for defence Jitendra Singh.

Programmes for the union finance minister P Chidambaram and AICC secretary Dr Shakhil Ahmed are still being worked out, Wasnik said. He said that the Congress is working out a strategy to see that all parts of the state are covered by the Congress star campaigners.

Congress leaders are schedule to visit Jaintia hills tomorrow.- By Our Reporter