Imphal, March 02: Having administered the oath of office and secrecy to the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, Governor Dr SS Sidhu today summoned the first session of the 9th Legislative Assembly.

According to informed source, the Governor has intimated to the assembly Secretariat to convene the session on March 16 but there is no information regarding duration of the session.

Secretary of the Manipur Legislative Assembly T Joute has also issued a circular that the newly elected legislators would take oath of office and secrecy on March 7 at 11 am.

O Ibobi Singh would be the Chief Minister of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) Government for the second consecutive term.

The swearing-in ceremony held at the raj Bhavan today comes after three days of parleys and hectic discussions among the Congress Legislature Party as well as SPF allies for formation of the Government.

O Ibobi took the oath clad in a cream-coloured suit in the presence of MLAs of the Congress and other parties besides top civil and military officials.

The ceremony followed a day after O ibobi submitted a list of 36 MLAs supporting him in the 60-member Assembly to the governor staking his claim to form the new government.

The list include 29 MLAs from the Congress, four from the CPI and three from RJD.

Endorsing the claim, the governor asked Okram to submit the list of his new council of ministers.

Ibobi was elected from two constituencies � one from Khangabok, his home turf and the other from the neighbouring Thoubal seat to the just concluded 9th state Assembly election.

Yesterday morning the Steering Committee of the SPF convened a meeting with senior Congress leaders and the newly elected CPI legislature wing leader Pheiroijam Parijat and its state unit secretary B Sharma at the CM�s conference hall to chalk out modalities on formation of the new government.

Former chief minister and state unit RJD president Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh had submitted a written statement to the governor declaring support to the SPF ministry.

Union minister Oscar Fernandes and elected legislators � Radhabinod Koijam (state unit NCP president), Wungnaoshang Keishing (UNC sponsored candidate), former vice chancellor Dr N Bijoy Singh (MPP) and a host of defeated political heavy weights - W Nipamacha , Dr M Nara Singh ( CPI) former Speaker Dr Maniruddin Sheikh among others also attended the ceremony.

After the ceremony Oscar left for New Delhi.

It may be mentioned that the National Peoples� Party (NPP) which secured three seats in the election has also extended unconditional support to the Congress-led SPF government.

Party�s president V Hangkhanlian said the decision to support the Okram Ibobi Singh government was taken to ensure that the state would restore peace and that all round development would be accelerated.