MSCP split over merger with Congress
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 28, 2014: Cracks have developed within the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) with two rival groups coming to the fore ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

MSCP has elected five legislators to the current 10th State Legislative Assembly.

One group sided by the five MLAs have reportedly proposed merger with the State Congress while the other group has decided against the merger and claimed that the regional party is still intact.

Sources in the group waiting for nod of the INC for merger informed Friday that the decision to join the Congress was taken during a meeting co-chaired by party president Y Mani and working president Kh Devabrata Singh at the residence of Keirao AC MLA Karam Thamarjit this morning.

A formal letter has also been sent to MPCC president Gaikhangam revealed their stand to merge with the Congress.

Accordingly, Gaikhangam shot off the copy of the letter to the AICC to seek the consent of the party's high command.

The response of the AICC is awaited, sources said.

The five MSCP legislators who have taken side with the group that intends to merge with the Congress are Keirao AC MLA Karam Thamarjit, Wangjing Tentha AC MLA P Brojen, Kangpokpi AC MLA Nemcha Kipgen, Sagolband AC MLA RK Imo and Tamenglong AC MLA Janghemlung Panmei.

MSCP split over merger with Congress

Party president Y Mani, working president Kh Devabrata and several other leaders have also joined the group.

Meanwhile, taking the split to a higher level, the Central Executive Committee of MSCP has cracked the whip on the party's vice-president Adim Panmei and Executive member Bauntiya Keishing for their alleged anti-party activities.

In a Issuing a statement in this regard, working president of MSCP Kh Devabrata said that the party has expelled the two leaders for taking part in election campaign for Naga People's Front (NPF) candidate for the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency.

They have gone against the decision of the party, it added.

On the other hand, the other group with Adim Panmei and Bauntia Keishing, which is against the merger, has declared that there is no move to merge the party with the Congress.

They claimed that MSCP is still intact though some rebels have alienated from it.

They further said that the party will campaign for NPF candidate Soso Lorho in the Outer constituency.

MSCP, a regional party, was set up on December 5, 1997 under the leadership of former Chief Minister W Nipamacha Singh as an offshoot of INC.

The party later formed Government and remained in power for almost five years.