Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang today (Oct 11, 2004) said that the leadership issue of the new Congress Government would be decided by the legislature party meeting to be held in Itanagar on October 13.

"The CLP (Congress Legislature Party) meeting will decide who will be the next Chief Minister and since two central party observers are here they will announce the name of the new Chief Minister after the CLP meet beginning at 11:00 hrs (IST)," Apang said.

"Ours is a national party so everything is decided by consensus. Our President Sonia Gandhi must have conducted her own exercise to choose the leader," Apang said when he was asked to react to reports that former Chief Minister Mukut Mithi was also in the race for the top post.

He said that newly elected MLAs were arriving in Itanagar and by tomorrow everyone would be here.

"If the people think I should be the Chief Minister, I will accept their decision," he said.