Shillong, March 6 :     Chief minister B.B. Lyngdoh was today forced to relinquish the post of chairman and parliamentary party leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP). He failed to garner enough support at a crucial parliamentary party meeting this evening. Speaker and party president E.K. Mawlong was elected UDP parliamentary party leader after the two-hourlong meeting. But it is not immediately clear whether Mawlong will become chief minister within the next few days. Lyngdoh did not indicate he would be relinquishing the post but said he would leave the UDP. Earlier in the day Lyngdoh had issued an order to UDP legislators not to attend the parliamentary party meeting. But he surprised everyone by turning up. He ended up chairing the meeting. At a news conference later Lyngdoh said his resignation 'had been accepted straightaway.' He added, 'I will join a national party.' Asked whether he would be leaving the chief minister's chair, he replied, 'Naturally.' But the next moment he indicated otherwise. His colleagues told newsmen not to 'take his statements seriously about the part on his joining a national party.' A UDP press statement said, 'A parliamentary party held under the chairmanship of B.B. Lyngdoh accepted his offer to relinquish the office of the chairman and leader of the parliamentary party and unanimously elected E.K. Mawlong in his place.' A jubilant Mawlong told newsmen that he would meet Governor M.M. Jacob to apprise him of the change of guard in the UDP, the leading party in the ruling coalition. The UDP has 40 MLAs including the chief minister. The UDP has been informally divided into two factions. Lyngdoh is said to be left with only five loyal MLAs at present. Mawlong, along with BJP legislators and home minister T.H. Rangad, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislature party leader Lotsing A. Sangma and some UDP ministers had met Governor M.M. Jacob last evening to apprise him of the impending change in the state's leadership. Lyngdoh has come in for a lot of flak for his failings - his old age, his forgetfulness and his indecisiveness. But what has irked party legislators the most is the fact that he is at the mercy of his daughter and two businessmen, who are referred to as the 'kitchen Cabinet' by the MLAs. The tiny hill state of Meghalaya has witnessed a great deal of political flux after the elections on February 16, 1998. A Congress government under the leadership of Salseng C. Marak was sworn in on February 27, 1998. Marak was voted out of office on March 10, when he failed to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly. Lyngdoh was then asked to form the government. The veteran UDP leader formed the Meghalaya Parliamentary Forum (MPF) government on March 10, 1998 with the support of the BJP, the Hill State Peoples' Democratic Party (HSPDP) and two Independent MLAs. Australian offer: Australian High Commissioner Rob Laurie today met chief minister B.B. Lyngdoh and offered support for the development of Meghalaya. Women's day: The Meghalaya State Social Welfare Advisory Board and the directorate of social welfare along with several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will observe International Women's Day on Wednesday.