Imphal, March 31: Amid strong indication of SPF Government�s Ministry reallocation Cabinet Minister Gaikhangam is likely to be relieved from his Power portfolio and appointed as the new president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (I).

According to party sources, Irrigation and Flood Control minister Phungzathang Tonsing is also likely to step down from his current assignment as he is slated for appointment as the Assembly Speaker.

The development within the Congress party organisation came around when the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh convened a special session of party legislators and officer bearers prior to his March 25 departure for New Delhi.

In the said meeting, deliberation centred around Gaikhangam's name proposed as a candidate for the top MPCC post as well as appointment of a new Speaker hotly tipped to be Phungzathang.

During the CM�s New Delhi sojourn Ibobi called on the AICC chief and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and is informed to have discussed on election of a new MPCC (I) president.

Election processes of Congress party organisation had been set into motion in the State with the poll for election of the president slated to take place on April 30.Sources maintained that majority of the Congress legislators and office bearers had endorsed O Ibobi proposing Gaikhangam for presidency during the recent meeting.

Gaikhangam is currently the vice president of MPCC (I) while the Chief Minister holds the top post of the Congress party.

In consonance with the Congress party's principle of �one man one post� and technical inconveniences likely to be faced by the ruling party in the next general election in case O Ibobi continues to hold dual charges as the Chief Minister and the MPCC president the CM is said to have proposed Gaikhangam who is considered to be close confidant of the CM thereby reducing threat, if any, to the SPF Govt.As dropping Gaikhangam is imminent in the party interest, some Congress Legislature Party members have expressed assigning the Power portfolio to another Tamenglong district legislator.

Among the front-runner mooted by the CLP members for accommodation in the SPF Ministry is Tamei Kendra MLA Z Mangaibou.

Gaikhangam represents Nungba constituency.

However, reports suggest lack of unanimity amongst the Congress legislators and party office bearers in providing Mangaibou a Ministerial berth as a section of the Congress legislators desired entertaining incumbents from those districts yet to be represented in the Ministry.

DK Korungthang from Chandel district and an MLA from Ukhrul district were referred to plug the Ministerial gap when Gaikhangam and Phungzathang relieve their respective posts, said the source.

Similarly, speculations doing the round in the State Congress circle is providing a Cabinet berth to present Speaker TN Haokip when he is replaced by his Churachandpur district counterpart Phungzathang.

It may be mentioned that reports have already been published of Saikot AC representative TN Haokip expressing keen desire to step down from his long tenure as the Speaker so as to work for development of constituency as a Minister.

The minor Ministry adjustment is likely to be effected after the CM returns from taking part in the �Dandi march� currently being observed to mark 75 years of Mahatma Gandhi�s defiance against salt legislation enacted by the then British rulers.

Comment