New Delhi, Jan 1 (DHNS): After its energetic campaign in Gujarat, Congress has now turned its attention to the Northeast, where Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura early next year.

The party has been hit by dissension ahead of the polls in Meghalaya, so president Rahul Gandhi has eased out 85-year-old former chief minister D D Lapang as the president of the state unit and handed over the reins of the party to young leaders Celestine Lyngdoh and Vincent H Pala.

While 46-year-old Lyngdoh has been named as the President of the Meghalaya Congress, 49-year-old Pala, a former union minister has been made the Working President of the state unit.

Earlier this month, Lapang had met the then Congress President Sonia Gandhi and expressed her desire to step away from electoral politics. In the changes to the Meghalaya Congress announced by Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, Lapang has been made Advisor to the state unit of the party.

The delicate balancing act comes in the wake of rebellion in the party last week that saw five Congress MLAs resign from the state assembly to join late P A Sangma's National People's Party, which is a constituent of the NDA.

Maharashtra MLA Yashomati Thakur has also been assigned as State Coordinator for Meghalaya to assist AICC General Secretary in-charge of north-eastern states C P Joshi in the election-related work.

The Congress also announced a 13-member Pradesh Election Committee under Lyngdoh, with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma as a member.

The Congress also announced election committee, campaign committee and media committee of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress ahead of elections in the state.

K. Therie will be the chairman of the election committee for Nagaland. Ayangba Aonok will head the campaign committee, while Captain G.K. Zhimomi will lead the media committee.