Shillong, Jan 2: Former chief minister, D.D. Lapang has been appointed as advisor to the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), and termed it a “right decision” by the AICC to relieve him from the post of party president in the state.
Speaking to reporters at his residence here on Tuesday, Lapang said that it may not be possible for him to attend to responsibilities as president of the party considering his age and health especially when elections are coming.
“The workload would be heavy as elections are coming not only Assembly elections, but in 2019, there will be Lok Sabha as well as district council elections too. Therefore, the AICC has taken a right decision to relieve me from the post,†Lapang said.
The AICC has appointed Congress MLA from Umsning, Celestine Lyngdoh as president of the MPCC, and Lapang was appointed as advisor.
According to Lapang, AICC leaders including Congress president, Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi were consulted about his position in the party as well as his decision not to contest the Assembly polls.
Meanwhile, the former chief minister expressed confidence that Congress would back to power and form the government in the upcoming Assembly polls.
“The Congress is united now after some MLAs have left the party, and we have good candidates from the constituencies represented by those MLAs,†Lapang said.