Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 04:
Though Central observer and CWC member of the AICC Ramesh Channithala today maintained that everything is fine within the Congress, a well placed source from the Congress informed that the Central observer is here with a one line brief, study the voice of dissent raised against the Chief Minister and see if any compromise formula can be worked out.
On condition of anonymity, the source said that the AICC now fully knows that not everything is right within the Congress and Channithala has been despatched here on a three day visit to get a first hand account of the situation.
Significantly Channithala arrived here yester- day after cancelling all his prior engagements on the instructions of the AICC high command.
Though the CLP meeting held yesterday passed off without any major hitch, save for the last minute change in venue, it is understood that Channithala has started taking the personal opinion of each of the Congress MLAs.
The series of corruption charges raised against the SPF Govt also figured prominently during his interaction with the Congress MLAs, added the source.
The ruckus raised over the venue of the CLP meeting yesterday was not missed by the Central observer, said the source.
Newspaper clippings highlighting the allegations of corruption and siphoning of crores of rupees, particularly with reference to the Works Department, TD and others were also presented to Channithala during the one to one meeting with the Congress MLAs, said the source and added that Chief Minister Ibobi and his band of faithfuls were accused of all the wrong doings.
The corruption cases highlighted to the Central observer included the withdrawal of Rs 80 lakhs in Ukhrul for 60 projects for which not a single work was executed, the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 1 crore in Sadar Hills, the missing file of the Tribal Development Department related to the inquiry of misuse of lakhs of rupees, the missing bitumen taken for black topping the 27 kms long Bishnupur to New Cachar road and the fraudulent withdrawal of crores of rupees in Senapati and Tamenglong districts.
The AICC leadership is also understood to have instructed the observer to see if the dissidence can be pacified with some arrangements and even suggesting that the man around whom the dissidence have rallied around be offered the post of Deputy Chief Minister.
However if the attempts to pacify the dissidents fail, then the AICC is expected to take a definite action as it deems fit to set things in order.
Interestingly, though the voice of dissent has grown more audible, the dissident MLAs are yet to project any definite individual as the likely replacement to Ibobi, said the source further.
The dissidents are clear in their stand and if the CM or the Central observer manage to pacify the man next in line, then the MLAs will go ahead and project another man as the option, added the source.
Even as the Congress is wracked by internal dissent, some of the top rung leaders of the party are understood to have amassed wealth and properties running into crores of rupees.
A particular Minister in the SPF Govt is believed to have bought Victory Cinema Hall, the shopping complex situated to the north of Imphal Municipality complex, two plots of land at Guwahati and another plot of land at Delhi.
A number of other political leaders of the SPF are understood to have acquired immovable properties in many cities of the country including, Delhi, Guwahati and Bangalore.
However despite the growing voice of dissent within the Congress MLAs, some MLAs have backed the leadership of O Ibobi, said the source and the same has been conveyed to Channithala.
A Congress MLA informed The Sangai Express that the Central observer was told in no uncertain terms that the only way to strengthen and save the Congress from further ignominy is to change the leadership.
The scandals besetting the Govt were effectively highlighted to Channithala, he added.