Cong meets on fiasco, central leader arrives today
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 20 2021: Following resignation of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Govindas Konthoujam, party's working committee convened a meeting on Tuesday to work out new MPCC president and also to strengthen the party.

In view of the uneasy development in the MPCC and discontentment among party MLAs, AICC's Manipur in-charge Bhakta Charan Das will be arriving here at 9am Wednesday on the advice of All India Congress Committee (AICC) leader Sonia Gandhi.

As per information received here, the meeting held on Tuesday at the official residence of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader O Ibobi Singh was not a CLP meeting but a working committee meeting for senior leaders of the party like CLP leader O Ibobi and CWC (Congress Working Committee) member Gaikhangam.

Resigned MPCC president Govindas Konthoujam, who is rumoured to have left the party, Thangmeiband MLA Kh Joykisan and Saikul MLA Yamthong Haokip did not take part in the meeting as also some Congress MLAs.

The People's Chronicle tried to contact Govindas Konthoujam, Kh Joykisan and Yamthong Haokip after report of Govindas stepping down from MPCC presidentship and the trio Congress MLAs' resignation from primary membership of the party went viral on social media but none of them could be contacted till the time of filing this report.

Apart from this, there is no official confirmation or denial from the MLAs about their resignation from the party.

Nevertheless, Govindas dropped his resignation letter in the letter box of AICC and copies of the same were reportedly submitted to CLP leader O Ibobi and AICC's CWC member Gaikhangam.

As per information shared by a Congress MLA who took part meet, the working committee meeting discussed about appointment of a new MPCC president and who should be projected for the post.

The meeting also discussed about strengthening the party in the state in view of the assembly elections to be held in early part of 2022 .

The meeting later decided to propose five candidates to the AICC for appointment of one of them as the MPCC president and the remaining four candidates as working president instead of appointing interim president.

Meanwhile, AICC Manipur in-charge Bhakta Charan Das will be arriving on Wednesday to take stock of the uneasy development in MPCC on the advice of AICC leader Sonia Gandhi.

He is likely to meet senior leaders, MLAs and leaders of frontal and cell of state unit of the party and discuss appointment of a new MPCC president and chalk out strategies to strengthen the party in the state.

Mention may be made that Govindas Konthoujam was appointed as the president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee on December 14.He is a six-time MLA from Bishnupur Assembly Constituency and a former minister for three terms.

Following Konthoujam's resignation, the political circles in the state are abuzz with speculations that he and 10 Congress MLAs could join the BJP.

His resignation comes days before the Supreme Court judgment on a petition filed against the disqualification of 12 MLAs of the BJP-led Govt from Legislative assembly in connection with the appointment of 'Parliamentary Secretaries.

The Congress party had earlier approached Governor Dr Najma Heptulla seeking disqualification of the 12 MLAs of the Coalition government on account of holding the position of parliamentary secretaries, which qualified as 'office of profit' after the HC ruling.

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