Ministry expansion: CM likely to meet Governor today
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 05 2022: Chief Minister N Biren is likely to visit Governor La Ganesan at the Raj Bhavan tomorrow and talk about expansion of his Council of Ministers.

Notably, six ministerial berths are currently vacant in the incumbent BJP-led Government.

Even though Chief Minister N Biren and five Ministers were sworn in on March 21, six ministerial berths have been lying vacant till date.

The five Ministers who were sworn in earlier are Th Biswajit, Y Khemchand, Govindas Konthoujam, Nemcha Kipgen and Awangbow Newmai.

Sources informed that none of the MLAs belonging to different political parties which are supporting the Government from outside are likely to be given ministerial berths.

Incidentally, NPF is an internal ally of the BJP-led Government and one ministerial portfolio has been already given to its MLA Awangbow Newmai.

In case, ministerial berths are allotted to non-BJP MLAs, the landslide victory secured by BJP in the last State Assembly election would have little meaning.

Notably, BJP secured 32 seats out of the total 60 seats of Manipur Legislative Assembly in the election held in February and March.

A serious crisis may erupt within BJP if any of the remaining ministerial berths is allotted to non-BJP MLAs who are supporting the Government from outside.

If the remaining ministerial berths are allotted to BJP MLAs, there would be little resentment among the BJP MLAs who do not get any ministerial berth, said the sources.

As such, the remaining ministerial berths are likely to be allotted to selected BJP MLAs.

Meanwhile, the sources informed that persistent and intense lobbying by many BJP MLAs for induction in the Council of Ministers have caused headache to BJP leaders including the Chief Minister.

BJP secured 32 seats in the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly election while NPP won seven seats, NPF five seats, JD-U six seats, Congress five seats and KPA two seats.

Three Independent candidates too got elected.

NPP, JD-U, KPA and two Independent MLAs have already pledged support to the BJP Govt.The Chief Minister and the five Ministers sworn in earlier were allocated ministerial portfolios on March 26 .

Th Biswajit was allocated Power Department, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Department, Agriculture Department and Science & Technology Department.

Yumnam Khemchand was given MAHUD Department, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Department and Education Department.

Konthoujam Govindas has been put in charge of PWD and YAS Department.

Nemcha Kipgen was allocated Textiles, Commerce & Industry Department and Cooperation Department.

Water Resources Department and Relief & Disaster Management Department were allocated to Awangbow Newmai.

Chief Minister N Biren is in charge of Home Department, Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, Confidential & Cabinet Department, Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Department, Information & Technology Department, Planning Department and all other departments which have not been allocated to any other Minister so far.

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