Shillong, June 14: The Congress-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government underwent a surprise reshuffle late last evening with newly-inducted MLA Sitlang Pale getting key portfolios.

Pale, a newcomer to politics, was given PWD (building) and food and civil supplies. The PWD portfolio was earlier held by Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement president Paul Lyngdoh. He has been given agriculture and will continue as sports and youth affairs minister.

The tourism portfolio was taken away from Deborah Marak and given to senior Congress legislator J.D. Rymbai. Marak was given the transport department, which was earlier held by Rymbai.

Sources in the MDA said the reshuffle came as a ?surprise? to many as it was not on the cards.

They believe it was done at the behest of some senior Congress leaders.

The MDA is under tremendous pressure as it tries to tackle a number of prickly issues such as the Meghalaya Board of School Education imbroglio, Block-II border dispute and the face-off with the media.

All these issues are expected to figure in tomorrow?s cabinet meeting.

So far, the media has not made any move to resolve the impasse that has been created by police action on two scribes on Friday.

Senior editors and reporters of the English dailies were interrogated by police in the middle of night on the pretext that reports about the Block-II incident carried by the dailies was tantamount to inciting communal passion.

The Shillong Press Corps passed a resolution to boycott chief minister D.D. Lapang and his deputy Mukul Sangma and demanded an unconditional apology from them. A memorandum was also submitted to Governor M.M. Jacob.