With lobbying, crisis in IMC deepens
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, December 21 2012:
Even though Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam are trying their level best to resolve the impasse in Imphal Municipal Council (IMC), many of the MLAs and Ministers are allegedly lobbying for their respective men to appoint to the post of Chairperson.
The present chaotic condition in IMC has surfaced following difference of opinion among the Councilors who should be elected to the post of Chairperson.
A section of the Councilors are against the incumbent Chairperson N Raghumani while another section supports him.
There are at present 27 Councilors, out of which 16 are from Congress party.
While one section of the Councilors has even went to the extent of moving a No Confidence Motion against incumbent Chairperson N Raghumani, the other section has demanded disciplinary actions against all those involved in moving the No Confidence Motion.
And it is at this juncture that some Ministers and MLAs are lobbying for their respective preferred Councilors to be elected as the new Chairperson of IMC.
Sources in IMC revealed that Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam have separately called the two groups of Councilors and made the group which is opposed to incumbent Chairman to withdraw their No Confidence Motion.
However, as no permanent solution could be brought about and settled the matter, an election was held for the post of the Chairperson.
In the election, incumbent Chairman, N Raghumani got 7 votes while Councilor Aribam Nimai acquired 9 votes.
But the group which is loyal to Raghumani has charged that the votes received by Aribam Nimai were acquired through unfair means, and thus, the 'drama' in IMC still continues.
Meanwhile, sources from Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee informed that a meeting has been convened on December 22 to discuss the impasse and it is hopeful the present problem would be solved once and for all.
However, sources close to N Raghumani have warned that if Raghumani is removed from the post of Chairperson, then there is all possibility of him resigning as Councilor and ultimately withdrawal from the membership of Congress party.