HAC VC quits post, Cong, MLAship
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 14 2016:
Hill Areas Committee (HAC) Vice-Chairman Z Kikhonbou has resigned from the HAC post, the post of MLA and from the membership of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC).
Speaking to media persons at Lamphelpat today, Kikhonbou congratulated the State Government as well as the public with regard to the creation of seven new districts for administrative convenience.
However, it was rather disheartening that the HAC was neither consulted nor informed before the new districts were created.
Article 371 of the Constitution and the Manipur Legislative Assembly order of 1972 clearly lay down that any political decision pertaining to the hill areas of the State should be adopted only after due consultation with the HAC.
"Creation of new districts without even sharing any information violated the Constitutional provision.
It is for this reason that I resign from the post of HAC Vice-Chairman", Kikhonbou said.
With regard to his resignation from the membership of MPCC, Kikhonbou said that the people of his Assembly Constituency have been urging him to change his political party else they would not support him.
"People have been asking him to leave Congress and join a different party since the ADC election of 2015.Even though I have resigned from the primary membership of MPCC, I still love the party and respect all its senior leaders like the Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and the MPCC president", he continued.
He said that he could not name the political party which he would join as of now.
The matter would be decided after consultation with the people of Tamei AC.
Kikhonbou submitted his resignation letter to Manipur State Assembly Deputy Secretary Rohit Sapam at around 1 pm today.
He submitted another resignation letter to the MPCC president this afternoon.