Lalthanhawla resigns as CM

AIZAWL, Nov 29 (PTI) — Outgoing Mizoram Chief Minister Lalthanhawla and his Council of Ministers resigned today following the rout of the Congress in Wednesday’s elections to the state Assembly.

Mr Lalthanhawla, who was bidding for the prestigious Serchhip constituency for the fifth time, submitted his resignation to Governor A. Padmanabhan at the Raj Bhavan this morning.Mr Padmanabhan accepted his resignation, but asked him to continue till alternative arrangements were made, a Raj Bhavan communiqué said here.Mr Lalthanhawla, who is also the state PCC chief, lost this time to MNF’s K. Thangzuala, a former state Public Works Department Commissioner.

Mr Lalthanhawla held the Serchhip seat since 1984 and was reelected in 1987, 1989 and 1993.He became Chief Minister in 1984 after defeating Brig. T. Sailo’s Peoples’ Conference (now Mizo People’s Conference), but stepped down to make room for Laldenga after the Centre and the underground MNF signed an accord on June 30, 1986.However, he shot back to power as Chief Minister in the 1989 polls following the fall of the Laldenga government after nine MLAs withdrew support in August 1988.

Gehlot likely to be CM

JAIPUR, Nov 29 (PTI) — Rajasthan Pradesh Congress President Ashok Gehlot is emerging as a front-runner for the chief ministership as hectic political activity was under way in the state for tomorrow’s crucial meeting of the new Congress Legislature Party.

The names of former Chief Minister Shiv Charan Mathur, former AICC General Secretary Naval Kishore Sharma, leader of the Opposition in the last assembly Parasram Maderna and former minister Kamla Beniwal were also being tipped for CLP leadership.

Party sources said the CLP meeting might pass a resolution authorising party President Sonia Gandhi to decide the leadership issue.

Mr Gehlot today sought to steer clear of questions on the leadership issue.

Asked by reporters whether he could be the natural choice for the chief ministership as he had led the party to polls, he said, "I have never opted for any post and I have always abided by the party high command."

Dikshit likely to be elected DPCC chief
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Nov 29 — The meeting of the Delhi Congress Legislature Party (CLP) is likely to be held tomorrow to elect its leader, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee sources have said.

The likely Congress candidate for post is DPCC chief, Ms Sheila Dikshit, who led the party to a landslide victory in the Assembly polls.In an informal chat with newspersons at the party office, the chief Ministerial candidate said the Congress would take effective measure to control the spiralling prices of essential commodities.

Listing out the priority areas, Ms Dikshit said tackling the problems in the field of education, health, water, power and other civic amenities would be the party’s main consideration.

On the law and order situation in the Capital, the DPCC chief said the party would have better coordination with the Centre in tackling the problem as the Police was under the control of the central government.Indicating that the crime rate would go down, Ms Dikshit stated that the Congress would not approach the matter in a confrontaitonist manner.

On the question of full statehood to Delhi, which had been promised by the BJP and was promised to be taken up in the Winter session of Parliament, the DPCC president said the party had demanded statehood to Delhi in 1980s and the Capital had got that.

The present status, the Delhi Government does not have control over land and law and order.She said that there was enough powers vested with the state government in the present form and her party with better administration would show results.

While not rejecting the full statehood, if offered by the Centre, she said the Congress would first see the Bill and then react.Earlier, the DPCC chief along with the winning MLA of the party met the Congress president, Ms Sonia Gandhi.

The MLAs thanked the party president for leading the Congress to a landslide victory.No formal meeting of the DPCC was called today and most leaders spent the day meeting supporters. Ms Dikshit went to the Delhi unit office in the morning and met workers from the Gole Market constituency to thank them for their hard work.

Other leaders, including former DPCC presidents, Mr Deep Chand Bandhu and Mr Prem Singh spent the day with their supporters.