Friday, October 7 2005 19:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Shillong: The fallout of the popular discontent over the nine deaths in last week's police firing in the Garo Hills could lead to a change of leadership in the D D Lapang Government in Meghalaya, according to highly placed sources in the Congress.

Blaming the state leadership for mishandling the situation leading to the firing at student rallies at Tura and Williamnagar on September 30 the party observer's report on the firing said that it had created a deep sense of anguish in the minds of the Garos.

The report would not 'hide neither exaggerate' anything on this matter, the sources privy to the report said.

"How long can we keep deadwood? The party is at its lowest ebb in the Garo hills and not even on a good wicket in the Khasi Hills region. If something is not done now, people will give us a good kick in the next assembly elections due in early 2008," they said.

But since Congress president Sonia Gandhi was busy with the Chandigarh conclave, any announcement would only be made tomorrow (Oct 8, 2005) evening from Delhi, they said.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Union minister of state for Programme Implementation Oscar Fernandes arrived at Tura to assess the situation.

He would meet the social organizations and church leaders to ascertain their views.

He arrived after All India Congress Committee (AICC) Secretary Mabel Rebello urged the High Command to send another senior leader to visit Tura.

Curfew at Tura was relaxed from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and at Williamnagar between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, district authorities said.

Fernandes, the second union minister to be sent by the high command after P R Kyndiah, spent around an hour each in Tura and Williamnagar.

Official sources said, he met some members of the bereaved families, church leaders and representatives of the influential Mothers Union and some other social organization leaders at the Tura circuit house.

Fernandes then flew to Williamnagar where he also met church leaders, local leaders and party workers, the sources said.

Pressed for time, he, however, could not visit the hospital where the injured persons were recuperating. He also did not visit the houses of the victims of the firing, they said.

The firing at Tura and Williamnagar took place during a rally called by the Garo Students Union defying prohibitory orders on the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education issue, on September 30.