CM, TN Haokip to leave for Delhi today ; Ministers offer booties to drop reshuffle demand
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 03 2016: Whereas all speculations are rife for a possible Ministry reshuffle within the next couple of days with MPCC president TN Haokip and Chief Minister O Ibobi leaving for Delhi tomorrow purportedly to finalise the matter with AICC leaders, many of the incumbent Ministers have been investing maximum efforts to wean away as many MLAs as possible from the group of MLAs who have been vehemently demanding a reshuffle.

The Ministers collected signatures of some MLAs and sent a representation to the AICC yesterday seeking retention of the existing Council of Ministers.

Apart from collecting signatures, the Ministers have reportedly offered Rs 3 crore each and many projects to the dissenting MLAs in their bid to change the mind of the MLAs, said one MLA on condition of anonymity.

CM, TN Haokip

He remarked that the new turn of events may only enrage AICC leadership.

Informing that there are still 25 MLAs in the pressure group, the MLA maintained that the pressure group's demands are not about formation of a new Government nor replacement of the incumbent Chief Minister nor has it anything to do with personal interests of the MLAs.

The MLAs have been striving to get the Congress Government led by O Ibobi re-elected after the next State Assembly election and at the same time get their grievances addressed.

Retention of a stable Government and establishment of a welfare State are the primary concerns of the MLAs.

However, some Ministers have been misinterpreting the initiative and they have been speaking in such a manner which hurts the dignity of MLAs.

Meanwhile, one incumbent Minister while expressing reluctance to comment on the banner of revolt raised by the MLAs, nonetheless remarked that what the MLAs have been doing is something unpleasant.

"There is no rule that a Minister should always remain a Minister and we would not grudge when we are relieved of our Ministerial portfolios", said the Minister.

Another Minister refused to give any comment on the reports about collection of signatures of MLAs and adoption of a number of resolutions after holding meetings with the rebel MLAs.

Informing that many Ministers are presently away from the capital, the Minister expressed strong displeasure over formation of a pressure group by some MLAs.

Notably, the MLAs who prefer to call themselves as a pressure group instead of dissidents have been demanding replacement of all the incumbent Ministers with the exception of Chief Minister O Ibobi and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam by MLAs who have been elected twice or more but have never been inducted as Ministers.

Another primary demand of adhering to Congress party's 'one man, one post' principle has been already fulfilled after Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam was relieved from the post of MPCC president.

Meanwhile, O Ibobi and TN Haokip would go to Delhi tomorrow to discuss the demand for Ministry reshuffle with AICC president Sonia Gandhi and other Central leaders.

As of now, it is not clear whether Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam would join tomorrow's trip to Delhi or not.

When Gaikhangam was the MPCC president, he and the Chief Minister were called to Delhi by AICC leaders but they kept on putting off their trip to Delhi in view of the unrest within Congress party in the State.

The existing issue will take a definite shape after a meeting between O Ibobi, TN Haokip and AICC leaders at Delhi tomorrow, said a close aide of the Chief Minister.

As of now, no one can say whether there would be Ministry reshuffle or not or how many Ministers would be replaced if there is a reshuffle.

All the matters would be decided after the meeting with AICC leaders, said the aide.