Shillong, Jan. 31: The Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance coalition government now has four “chief ministers”, with senior legislator and state party chief Friday Lyngdoh’s elevation to the status and rank of chief minister.

Soon after the formation of the coalition last May under chief minister D.D. Lapang, J.D. Rymbai and Donkupar Roy were accorded the status and rank. Rymbai is the chairman of the Meghalaya Economic Development Council, while Roy heads the state planning board.

Lyngdoh, whose elevation was formalised through a notification on Thursday, said he was happy at being given the status. Lyngdoh, also the political adviser to Lapang, was earlier holding the rank and status of a deputy chief minister.

Like Rymbai and Roy, Lyngdoh will enjoy the facilities of a chief minister, including the security that goes with the post, but cannot attend cabinet meetings as neither he nor the other two are ministers.

The Opposition termed the move an appeasement of senior Congress members who were not accommodated in the ministry. The Congress said the pattern was not new in Meghalaya.