NEW DELHI: The ongoing political drama in the Congress-led MUA Government will culminate in a reshuffle in the one-year-old coalition government after the Assembly session, but change of leadership looks remote even though the dissidents keep the issue alive.

There has to be a reshuffle in the Cabinet by dropping some Independents and one more party minister but only after the session is over, top AICC sources told The Shillong Times. But with the party burning its fingers earlier in case of JD Rymbai there is little scope for replacing Chief Minister DD Lapang, it added.

Moreover, there is no alternative to Lapang as Chief Minister in the present combination, the sources said. Even the dissidents who came and met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and other top leaders have not zeroed in on any particular leader because of dissension among themselves, sources added.

There is also no single leader in the present State Congress who can be acceptable to majority let alone everybody, the sources said. While some accept one leader others have reservations about him.

Lapang despite being removed once steered clear to majority in the last Assembly polls and also wrested the Government from the NCP-led coalition. He is acceptable to most MLAs on the ruling side as he kept everybody happy by accommodating them in various top positions, the sources claimed.

Quite true, Lapang tried his best - one of the best examples of his effort against dissension is the Chief Minister's status to three persons -- JD Rymbai, Dr Donkpupar Roy (both of UDP and former CMs) and most recently Friday Lyngdo, the present PCC President, -- despite widespread criticism. Even former Union Minister PR Kyndiah has been accommodated with the status of a Cabinet minister.

When countered about loss of majority support from MLAs, the sources argued that in small states like Meghalaya few Chief Minister can have majority support because the number of ministerial berths is limited. "But some of the dissidents have to be accommodated in the Cabinet since the Independents have already enjoyed power for one year," the source who is also a top party functionary said.

During an interaction with The Shillong Times on Thursday before his departure for Shillong, Chief Minister DD Lapang, who was defiant earlier, also sounded conciliatory saying that he would meet some of the dissidents and try to sort out the differences.

"The party is like a family and we can iron out differences if any within the party," he said.

During the meeting with Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Sonia Gandhi, Lapang was informed about the MLAs meeting him and the party president. After the discussions they have been advised to go back to the state in view of the Assembly session.

Lapang said he would be guided by the party high command and try to take everybody with him. "If the AICC wants a reshuffle of the Cabinet, the same would be done," he said.

Some of the dissident leaders who have gone back also favoured a settlement with the mediation of the high command. "We will accept anything Mrs Gandhi decides," one of the dissident leaders said.

On the charges of lack of development, Lapang said the party despite getting maximum seats was not allowed to form the Government by then NCP-led alliance which "ultimately collapsed under its own weight as predicted". Now the Congress has formed the coalition which is not even one-year old and the expectations are high which the Government is trying its best to meet, he asserted.

On the charges of the Government run by just two-three ministers, Lapang said there is a democratically elected Government.

All the major decisions are taken in the Cabinet which has ministers from all coalition partners including Independents," he said adding, "Where is the question of one or two man show in the governance?

Speculations is rife that non-Congress ministers -- Paul Lyngdoh of KHNAM and two Independents -- Limison Sangma and Ismail R Marak are likely to be replaced with senior Congress MLAs -- Rowell Lyngdoh and Frankenstein W Momin and Augustine D Marak. The name of HDR Lyngdoh and Saydulallah Nongrum -- both former ministers -- are also doing the rounds for the much-sought-after berths.

In the 12-member council of ministers, only six out of 28 Congress legislators are ministers and the remaining berths have been allotted to the allies -- UDP (two), KHNAM and Independent (three).

NCP denies approaching rebels: Meanwhile, teh NCP has denied the speculation that the party was approaching the nine disgruntled Congress leaders who are currently revolting against the State Congress leadership.