Pawar dissolves NCP State unit, adhoc committee in place
Poll fiasco named as one factor
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 24 2012: Manipur State Committee Nationalist Congress Party ((NCP) headed by former chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam has reportedly been dissolved with the party's national president Sharad Pawar appointing lone NCP legislator in the State Assembly, Laishom Ibomcha as convenor of the Adhoc Committee.

disclosing the development during a media briefing at his Keishamthong Laishom Leikai residence today, MLA Ibomcha informed that the Radhabinod led State NCP unit was dissolved on june 22 and presented copies of dissolution order signed and issued by the party's national general secretary TP Peethambaram Master, to newspersons as confirmation.

At a meeting of the NCP presided by Sharad Pawar on June 21, only one NCP nominee getting elected to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly out of 22 party candidates figured prominently, said Ibomcha while revealing that he was asked as to whether he could revive the party in Manipur.

L Ibomcha and Radhabinod Koijam

NCP leaders were of the view that removing Radhabinod Koijam as the head of the party in Manipur was inevitable for failure in the assembly election was attributed to certain flaws at the organisational level, conveyed the lone NCP MLA.

Stating that he responded in the affirmative to take charge of the party affairs in the State, Ibomcha said NCP central leaders consequently decided to dissolve the State Committee followed by his appointment as convenor of the adhoc committee to begin the party revival processes.

The NCP meeting in which former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma and his MP-daughter Agatha Sangma were conspicuously absent, also decided that the NCP will support UPA's presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee, said the MLA while affirming that he too would abide by the decision.

A former Law Secretary, Ibomcha further conveyed that the NCP meeting invalidated NCP State Committee recently constituted by Radhabinod Koijam and charged the latter of violating prescribed norms while appointing party's office bearers.

Accusing the former Chief Minister of backdating election for office bearers to May 30 even though the appointments were already effected earlier, he pointed out that it is mandatory of notifying election schedules in leading newspersons, which Radhabinod not only failed to comply with but also enrolled fresh members at his own will.

With regard to not attending the NCP foundation anniversary, Ibomcha contended he skipped the event as his name was not mentioned among the dignitaries for the dais.

Radhabinod was also accused of not disclosing the amount of money provided by the party for further disbursal to NCP nominees who contested the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly election, with the MLA also asserting that formation of the adhoc committee would be made public within a few days.

Confiding that central leaders had also approved him to take over the charge of State unit president, Ibomcha affirmed that there is no division in the State unit NCP and clarified that the exception of Radhabinod being removed from the top post all the party functionaries remain intact.

Pointing out that he has no personal enmity with Radhabinod Koijam, the MLA said charge in the leadership was a decision of the party's central leaders.

As a part of party re-organisation process, mass campaign for membership enrolment and relevant measures to strengthen the political organisation would be initiated at the earliest, he affirmed.