A Retrospect : Second Secular Progressive Front Government
Led by Shri O Ibobi Singh

Dr Kh Gourachandra Singh *

CM Ibobi during the recent PM Dr Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi Imphal visit

Shri O. Ibobi Singh was born on 19th June, 1948 at Athokpam, Thoubal. He is a University graduate. He was elected as an independent M.L.A. from 35-Khangabok Assembly Constituency, Thoubal District for the first time in his life in 1984 in the 4th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election. He supported Congress Government led by Shri Rishang Keishing as C.M. He became Associate Member of Congress. He was Chairman of The Khadi and Village Industries Board w.e.f. Jan. 4, 1985 to 14-11-1988. In the 5th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election held on 12th and 14th Feb., 1990 he was elected MLA on Congress(I) ticket. He became Cabinet Minister of Mahud Dept. under R.K. Dorendra Ministry on June 20, 1992. Next he held the portfolio of Industries Minister under Rishang Keishing’s C.M.ship from Jan. 10, 1995 to Feb., 1995.

In the 6th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election held in Feb. 1995 Shri Ibobi got defeat in the hands of Shri L. Jatra Singh, M.P.P. candidate. After this Shri O. Ibobi became Vice-President of Congress(I) party under Shri Phungjathang Tonsing, President (MPCC) in April, 1995. He was a nominated V.P. but he became an elected V.P. from June 9, 1997. From Dec. 10, 1999 he became MPCC(I) President on ad hoc basis and became elected MPCC President from Dec. 18, 2000 and worked in this capacity upto Sept. 10, 2005. In the 7th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election held in Feb. 2000 he contested as a Congress President but was defeated by MPP candidate L. Jatra Singh by a margin of only 52 votes. Out of only 47 candidates of Congress Party in the fray for 60 A/Cs only 11 (eleven) returned and Congress became opposition party.

Out of 11 (eleven) Congress MLAs, 10 (ten) joined in the formation of Manipur Regional Congress Party under the then CLP Leader R.B. Koijam on Dec. 28, 2000. Very soon on 4th January, 2001 the party was merged to Samata Party. During those days Shri O. Ibobi Singh, President, MPCC(I) and Shri Rishang Keishing, the lone Congress(I) MLA, only the two of them watched the Congress(I) Party. That was the time of slight improvement in the workings of the Congress Party in the aftermath of the going out of 23 Congress MLAs and important Office Bearers from the Congress party to form MSCP on Dec. 5, 1997.

In the 8th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election of Feb. 2002, Shri O. Ibobi Singh defeated MPP candidate L. Jatra Singh by a margin of 2330 votes in Khangabok A/C. He got the highest number of votes among the valley candidates. In that election, out of 58 Congress(I) candidates in the fray for 60A/Cs, 20 candidates have turned and Congress became the single largest party. But the Congress heavyweight, the then veteran political leader and former-CM. Shri Rishang Keishing got defeat in the hands of Shri W. Keishing of MSCP in Phungyar A/C, Ukhrul District. Shri Rishang’s dream of becoming CM was shattered and there was the mention of the names of Th. Devendra, Phungjathang Tonsing and O. Ibobi Singh for CM candidate inside the Congress Party. But as per the opinion of the elected MLAs and the Central High Command Shri O. Ibobi Singh was elected as CLP Leader on Feb. 27, 2002. Making an agreement on 5 points NCP, CPI, MSCP and Congress leaders were united and formed SPF (Secular Progressive Front) on Feb. 26, 2002.

The Common Minimum Programme of SPF was formed on March 1, 2002. Shri O.Ibobi Singh sworn in as the 25th Chief Minister of Manipur on March 7, 2002 at 10.30 a.m. on 5th April, 2002, DRPP, once in the opposition camp, became member of SPF. After sometime Congress took in MLAs of NCP, MSCP DRPP and Samata Party and with this there came to be 33 Congress MLAs. Congress began to rule smoothly in the State. Federal Party of Manipur, established on October 21, 1993, DRPP, established on 12th July, 1999, and MNC, established on 20th Dec. 2001, all have their extinction during SPF I period, cannot survive as political parties today. Federal Party and DRPP were merged to the MPP on Sept. 18, 2006 and thus ended their life while MNC was merged to the RJD of Lalu Prasad on June 21, 2005. During the 5 years term of SPF I, CPI (Manipur) took some significant role. Shri O. Ibobi Singh led SPF I Government ruled the State for the full term of 5 years without much difficulty along with many events.

In the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election held on Feb. 8, 13 and 23, 2007, Congress and CPI were not allied. Though a partner of SPF, INC won in 30 A/Cs while CPI won only 4 seats. Shri O.Ibobi became the first politician in Manipur who won the election in 2 (two) A/Cs. The 8th Manipur Legislative Assembly was dissolved on 28 Feb., 2007. Shri O. Ibobi Singh was unanimously elected CLP leader once again on Feb. 28, 2007. In the CLP meeting AICC Gen. Secy. and Union Minister Oscar Fernandez, Secy. Major Ved Prakash, Secy. Ranjit Thomas, Sanjoy Bapna, and Manipur M.P. Dr. T. Meinya were present.

On March 1, 2007, Congress and CPI jointly held the SPF Steering Committee Meeting in the morning. 3 MLAs of RJD, 3 MLAs of NPP and 3 Independent MLAs (S. Kunjakeshwor alias Keba, Haokholet Kipgen and Khangthuanang Panmei), altogether 9 MLAs supported SPF without any condition on their own accord on March 2, 2007.

Shri O. Ibobi Singh sworn in as the 26th C.M. of Manipur in the evening at 1.30 p.m. on March 2, 2007. He expanded the SPF II Govt. as the 1st phase on March 9, 2007 by inducting 6 cabinet Ministers: Th. Devendra (Cong.), Phungjathang (Cong.), Ph. Parijat (CPI), Gaikhangam (MPCC President), T.N. Haokip (Cong.) and Md. Allauddin (Cong.). There was a little exchange of arguments before oath taking ceremony for putting the name of Gaikhangam, MPCC President in the 4th position in the list of MLAs to be sworn in but later on agreement, came up between Shri O. Ibobi and Shri Gaikhangam.

Though Shri O.Ibobi was elected from 2 A/Cs, on March 12, 2007 he resigned the seat of Khangabok A/C. People of Khangabok A/C were not satisfied with it but they appeared themselves with the request to allow his wife O. Landhoni to become candidate for the seat in the forthcoming bye-election. He distributed the portfolios of his Ministers on March 16, 2007. On March 16, 2007 Dr. S. Budhichandra Singh of Konthoujam A/C was elected Speaker of the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly uncontested. During Shri O. Ibobi’s regime the 65 yr. old Th. Navakumar Singh, NCP, MLA of Khundrakpam A/C died of B.P. stroke. Afterwards on June 2, 2007 Bye-election of Khundrakpam and Khangabok A/Cs was held. In the Khundrakpam A/C Late Th. Navakumar’s son Mr. Th. Lokeshwor won on Cong(I) ticket while in the Khangabok A/C C.M. O.Ibobi’s wife O. Landhoni won on Congress(I) ticket. The number of Cong(I) MLAs was increased to 31. Khangabok Bye-election made Ibobi-Landhoni couple the first MLA couple in Manipur.

On June 4, 2007 late at night MPCC President Gaikhangam resigned the post of Minister in the Ibobi led Govt. This, he said, was to strengthen Congress Party. On June 27, 2007 at 3 p.m. the ministry was expanded by inducting 6 (six) ministers namely: Y. Irabot (Wangkhei), N. Loken (Nambol), L. Jayantakumar (Keishamthong), K. Ranjit (Sugnu), N. Biren (Heingang), and D.D. Thaisii (Karong). Md. Helaluddin Khan (RJD) was given the post of Deputy Chairman, State Planning Board (same in rank with Cabinet Minister). He wanted to become minister. So he informed the C.M. of his not accepting the offer. RJD was not satisfied with the Congress & CM.

In the last SPF I Govt. some important persons known to the public as IGP were I=Ibobi, G=Gaikhangam and Govindas and P=Parijat(CPI) and Phungjathang. Though CPI was very important ally of Congress in SPF I, it did not play a key role in SPF II. But important persons known to the public in the SPF II Govt. were IRB: Ibobi, Ranjit and Biren. They seem to play big roles in the Govt. Hence, this title.

The hard time for SPF II Govt. of O. Ibobi was the time when on Nov. 1, 2007, 14 MLAs out of 31 of Congress Party camped at Delhi and met AICC leaders and lodged complaints against O. Ibobi for not being able to maintain law & order, misappropriation of Development Funds and rules were not followed in the IRB recruitment. So they tried to topple his Govt. These dissident MLAs projected the Sr, Minister Th. Devendra Singh as Leader. However, Devendra himself did not claim for it. These dissidents met the AICC Gen. Secy. in-charge (Manipur) Prithiviraj Chauhan on 8 Nov. 2007, Sonia Gandhi on Nov. 9, Pranab Mukherjee on Nov. 10, Ahmed Patel on Nov.11, A.K. Anthony on Nov. 22, ShivrajPatil on Nov. 24, and Santosh Mohan Deva on Nov. 30. And they met the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Dec. 6, 2007. Ibobiwas satirized even by sending papers to the press on Nov. 13, 2007 by the then spokesperson of the dissident MLAs Shri Y. Surchandra Singh, MLA by saying that ShriO.Ibobi Singh was the most corrupt man and he was known as 10% Ibobi. On the other hand, C.M. Ibobi met Sonia Gandhi, President, AICC; P.M. Manmohan, Home Minister Patil and leaders of AICC on Nov.5, 2007. He denounced the dissident MLAs by saying that they were on excursion at Delhi, they would come back home; and it was not for ousting government. Because of this political tension, on Nov. 30, just after the delivery of speech on the inauguration of the first Manipur Fly-Over Bridge, Shri O. Ibobi Singh fainted. He was given first-aid by many including Governor. People said that it was due to unhappy mind. It was also the time the dissident MLAs claimed that they had also 18 MLAs. During this lean season of Congress Party, 11 non Congress MLAs from the hill A/Cs under the tactful plan of Shri O. Ibobi Singh, camped in Delhi and met the Central leaders of Congress like Prithiviraj Chauhan, Gen. Secy. Manipur, Rahul Gandhi and Ahmed Patel on Dec. 4, 2007. They supported Shri Ibobi. Among them were MLAs elected with the backing of UNC.

It was said that Ibobi was the C.M. who did development works most in the hill A/Cs and any former CM never did like him like this. On this pretext Prithiviraj Chauhan, AICC Gen. Secy. in-charge, Manipur stated that there should be no question of change of the leader of Congress (C.M.) while the opposition was trusting so much in Congress Govt. In this connection we may remember what one dissident MLA, M. Hemanta Singh said: “The joining of Independent MLAs and other party MLAs to the affairs of changing of Congress CM in the present situation is like the joining of audience in the football play, that will not make a goal.” The situation became more and more tense. On Dec. 8, 2007 dissident MLAs came back to Imphaland started camping. It was after their meeting with the Prime Minister Manmohan on 6th Dec. 2007. On Dec. 11, 2007 P.R. Chauhan–observer came to Imphal as observer. After meeting MLAs of both Ibobi group and dissident group along with the leaders of Blocks, Districts and MPCC separately he left Imphal on Dec. 13, 2007 and submitted the report of his Imphal visit to Sonia Gandhi on Dec. 19, 2007. After this Th. Devendra Singh, who did not lay any personal claim but was selected as leader by the dissident MLAs, was called to Delhi by the AICC High Command on Jan. 27, 2008. But under the strategic arrangement of CM, O. Ibobi, Th. Devendra, instead of going to Delhi, went to Jiribam together with Ibobi himself to look into the development works of Jiribam. The long cherished dream of dissident MLAs to make goal was lost, their hope got lost and things became slower gradually.

In the SPF Legislature Party meeting held on Jan. 30, 2008 dissident MLAs and Ibobi support-MLAs were jointly present. Thus, the problem was resolved on Feb. 6, 2008 with the support of 5 dissident MLAs extended to O. Ibobi. The MLAs were I. Hemochandra, Bijoy Koijam, T. Mangibabu, M. Manindra and K. Meghachandra. Shri O. Ibobi went to Delhi and submitted the report to AICC Gen. Secy. P.R. Chauhan on Feb. 7, 2008 that there were 20 MLAs who supported him. Thus, the long drawn political football match without making any new goal was won by the former champion O. Ibobi Singh having bagged some more points. Trophy was won by him.

One important event happened during the period of SPF II was the election of Shri Rishang Keishing as Rajya Sabha MP for a second term. He did not apply for the ticket. But 18 person applied for the ticket to become M.P. Shri O.Ibobi wanted to issue the party ticket to the former-speaker, Dr. Maniruddin. Because of tactful handling of situations by Shri O. Ibobi and CPI (Manipur), the two still jointly ran the Govt. in Manipur even though the Left Party withdraw their support to UPA Govt. on 8 July, 2008 on the issue of Indo-US Nuclear Deal. Shri O. Ibobi wanted to issue the Cong.(I) Ticket for the 15th Lok Sabha MP Election from the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency to I. Hemochandra, the present speaker. However, AICC extended the ticket once again to Dr. T. Meinya on March 22, 2009. Shri O. Ibobi made Dr. T. Meinya and Thangso Baite (Outer Manipur P/C) elected M.Ps.

Some other remarkable events happened during SPF II Government are: - For the first time in Manipur petroleum products were brought into Manipur by air cargo on May 21, 2010; After 1984, ADC Election in the hill district was held; the Manipur (Somdal) visit of NSCN(IM) Gen. Secy. Th. Muivah was foiled; presidents of blockade addicted ANSAM and UNC were declared wanted on 7 June, 2010 by O. Ibobi Govt. (but they could not be arrested); Suspended Imphal Municipal Council on 9 August, 2010; Shri Ibobi wanted to elect E. Dwijamani as President of MPCC(I) in the election of 14th Sept., 2010; but under the instruction of the AICC High Command he agreed with the election of Shri Gaikhangam as the President.

During Shri Ibobi’s SPF II Government record was kept for having occupied 124 days by the economic blockade launched by the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee and UNC in 2011 by breaking all the earlier records. Prices of essential commodities went up sky high as 1 litre of petrol was bought for Rs. 200/- while 1 gas cylinder was bought for Rs. 2000/- and the price of 1 kg. of potato reached Rs. 60/-. During his regime 7 (seven) sitting MLAs and above 10 (ten) ex-MLAs died. No political party was made able to work as real opposition party. The public protest for the July 23, 2009 Khwairamband tragedy was resolved after 5 months on Jan. 8, 2010 with the gain on the side of Ibobi Govt. Shri O.Ibobi also kept record in Manipur by reigning for 10 years not only as CM but also as Home Minister and Finance Minister.

Political analyst, popularly say that Shri O. Ibobi is characterized by a quality to be jealous. It is his endurance and toleration at the time of conflict. In challenging against him and conflicting with him many civil societies of Manipur: UNC, ANSAM, ATSUM, Apunba Lup, District Demand Committees, NSCN(IM), AMTUC/AMGEO, JAC of Govt. Employees, Congress Dissident MLAs, and Opposition Party MLAs could not get benefits. It is worth memorizing that even his Cabinet colleague and party MLA Y. Irabot while challenging against him for public issue got no benefit and the matter became individual and private one. There is no sign of easy change of decision in Shri O. Ibobi Singh.

Of the developmental works taken up during the period of SPF II mention may be made of the inaugurations of Manipur’s longest bridge, Serou Bridge(253.5m×12m) on 24 October, 2011; and of New Assembly Secretariat Building, City Convention Centre Building, MFDC Auditorium, ISBT and High Court Building on 3rd Dec., 2011 by P.M. Manmohan and Sonia Gandhi.

Whether in the forthcoming 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election Shri O.Ibobi and Shri Gaikhangam by whatever roles they can take, will be able to form Congress Government once again? Whether Shri O. Ibobi will be able to become the 27th CM of Manipur for the 3rd time, a rare personality in politics getting hattrick like Sheila Dxit of Delhi and Tarun Gogoi of Assam? In the meantime there has been ban on Congress (I) by Coordination Committee (Cor Com) of 7 underground organisations on the eve of this election.

We have to see what roles will be taken by other political parties of Manipur: MPP, MSCP, NPP, MDFP, NCP, BJP, JD(U), JD(S), CPM, Trinamool, etc. in this election; and which candidates will be elected as people’s representatives by the people of Manipur and in which party they would keep more trust and reliance. Let us wait for which candidate of which party will become the 27th CM of Manipur upto March 6, 2012 when the counting of votes will be over.

This article is neither to support nor to oppose any political leaders, written purely based on Record finding by the writer.