Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 07:
With the issuance of notification for election of the Hill Areas Committee Chairman scheduled at 11 am of April 13 at the Committee Room of the State Assembly, the National People's Party (NPP) has appealed to the Opposition members to support its member for the post of the Chairman.
In the past, post of Hill Areas Committee Chairman was held by members of the ruling parties in most cases.
Member of the Hill Areas Committee T Manga Vaiphei has been appointed to preside the scheduled election of the Committee Chairman.
Nomination papers for the post of chairman may be filed before noon of April 12. The NPP has appealed to all opposition parties to field one of its MLA as a consensus candidate for the post of Chairman, conveyed NPP president V Hangkhalian.
But no definite understanding has been reached among the opposition parties regarding the proposal to field a consensus candidate from among the tribal candidates sitting in the opposition bench.
In case the leaders of the opposition parties accept NPP's proposal, the party would field a prospective candidate from among its three sitting MLAs, said Hangkhalian.
The two NPP MLAs other than Hangkhalian are Thangminlen Kipgen and T Hangkhanpao.
On the other hand, some MLAs, though unofficially, are talking about putting up Dr Khasim Ruivah, elected from Chingai A/C as consensus candidate of the opposition group.
Earlier, the ruling parties appointed their MLAs to the post of Hill Areas Committee Chairman from time to time without conducting elections.
The post of the Chairman is equivalent to the rank of a Cabinet Minister.
But this time, with the necessary election notification issued, the opposition parties are hopeful of one of their MLAs getting the post of the Chairman.
In the 60 member State Assembly, only 20 members elected from constituencies of hill districts have the right to vote to elect the Chairman.
Out of the 20 MLAs elected from the hill constituencies, 13 are sitting in the opposition bench.
As such the opposition group has fair chance of winning the post of Hill Areas Committee Chairman.
In case the opposition parties can wrest the post from the ruling parties, it would be the first time in the history of the Manipur State Assembly for an opposition MLA to hold the post of the Chairman, Hill Areas Committee.