Imphal, December 30: Striking a confident pose, the dissident Congress MLAs who have been demanding a change in the leadership of the Congress Legislature Party have claimed that the AICC may soon take a decision in their favour within the next couple of days.

The rebel MLAs, who have raised the banner of revolt against the leadership of Chief Minister O Ibobi for the last few months claim the support of 19 MLAs out of the 31 Congress MLAs in the House of 60.Apart from the deteriorating law and order situation, the rebel MLAs have launched the anti-Ibobi drive on the 'total failure to govern' plank.

Significantly, the claim of the rebel MLAs that the AICC may soon take a decision within the next couple of days came after the AICC secretary in charge of North East Prithiviraj Chauhan submitted his report to the AICC leadership after his visit to the State about two weeks back.

Apart from getting a first hand account of the law and order situation prevailing in the State, Chauhan had a one to one interaction with all the Congress MLAs as well as the party's workers, during his stay at Imphal.

The performance of O Ibobi as the Chief Minister was carefully noted down by Chauhan.

The rebel MLAs were asked to specifically reply why they want Ibobi to be removed and the dissidents are believed to have made their stand against his leadership clear.

Speaking to The Sangai Express yesterday from New Delhi, one of the rebel MLAs said, "We have received informal reports that AICC leadership might take a decision on the crisis within the Congress within the next couple of days" and added "we will be continuing our camp at New Delhi till the final verdict on the matter is announced by the AICC leadership".

The MLA said that the dissident camp has not changed its policy of projecting senior Congress leader Th Debendra as the man to succeed Ibobi and added that the Congress MLAs too would not mind, if the AICC leadership chooses a leader of its choice to replace Ibobi.

Significantly the Chief Minister during a function of the Congress party on December 28 had urged the Congress MLAs to patch up all their differences within the party, before going to the media first.

The dissident MLAs had already put their case before the AICC president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil, besides a host of other Central leaders earlier.

They have been camping at New Delhi for the past few months, taking only a break when Prithiviraj Chauhan arrived at Imphal to take stock of the situation.

MPCC (I) president Gaikhangam accompanied by MLA Manga Vaiphei touched down at Delhi yesterday to be with the rebel MLAs, said a source.

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