Shillong, May 12 : Severe resentment within the Congress over the proposed coalition with the Nationalist Congress Party is proving to be a bigger hurdle than disagreements over share of ministerial berths.

The state Congress leaders said they would rather coalesce with the United Democratic Party than the NCP to form a government in the state. Congress Legislature Party leader D.D. Lapang today admitted that there were differences in the state Congress, but added that it was upto the high command to take the final call on whether to go with the NCP or the UDP.

“We are still waiting for the best option and the final nod from the high command,” Lapang said over phone from Delhi. Though he had planned to return to Shillong today, the uncertainly over the AICC’s decision has delayed his return.

Though differences over the share of cabinet berths between the NCP and the Congress was the initial reason for delay in the formation of the coalition, the opposition of state Congress leaders is proving to be the new impediment.

The working president of Meghalaya PCC, Deborah Marak, said the grassroots workers of the Congress from Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills have already opposed the proposed formation of the Congress-NCP government.

She said what annoyed the Congress leaders and the supporters from Garo Hills and Jaintia Hills is that NCP leader P.A. Sangma approached the high command without even consulting the state leaders.

Moreover, the NCP and the Congress are the main rivals in Garo Hills and the grassroots party workers of the Congress have already questioned the wisdom of the AICC in trying to forge an alliance with the NCP.

“The Congress in Khasi Hills is not happy with the proposed Congress-NCP alliance and the matter was communicated by PCC president Friday Lyngdoh to Lapang,” a Congress MLA said today.

The MLAs said what also surprised them was that they were in the dark about the move by the Congress high command to initiate talks for government formation with the NCP.

“We have reports that the office-bearers and party workers of many district Congress committees have threatened to resign en masse if a Congress-NCP government is formed in the state,” Marak added.