High Command throws cold water over Dy CM hopefuls
CM Ibobi to arrive today
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 15 2012:
Throwing cold water over the hope of some Congress leaders who are aspiring for the post of Deputy Chief Minister, the Congress High Command has flatly denied all possibilities for the post of a Deputy Chief Minister in the state.
According to reliable source, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who left for Delhi yesterday along with some party colleagues soon after the swearing in ceremony, was supposed to return back today after a meeting with the Congress High Command.
But due to certain unavoidable circumstances, the return journey had to be re-scheduled for tomorrow.
The team would be arriving at Imphal in an Indigo flight at around 11:30 am tomorrow.
The source revealed that Chief Minister O Ibobi had an exclusive meeting with AICC President Sonia Gandhi today and the two had serious deliberation over who should be inducted as Ministers in the third inning of SPF government.
The two leaders also discussed whether there should be Ministerial post reserved for women or the minority section.
The Chief Minister has received the final list of Ministers from the Congress High Command.
So, the expansion of his Ministry would be done after his return from Delhi tomorrow.
It is most likely that the Ministry expansion would be effected within the next couple of days after a meeting with the Governor.
According to the source, among the probable Ministers in the new Council of Ministers of SPF government, there are five Congress leaders who were Ministers in the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly as well.
They include Th Devendra, Phungzathang Tonsing and MPCC President Gaikhangam.
The source, however, refused to divulge the name of the other two, for reasons best known to itself.
On the other hand, another reliable source disclosed that who should be elected to the post of Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly has not yet been ascertained.
But a final decision in this regard may be made after the arrival of Chief Minister tomorrow.
It has not yet been ascertained whether L Nandakumar would be given the post of the Speaker or assigned some Ministerial berth, the source added.