Imphal, April 02 2010: Some Congress MLAs who have been remarkably patient so far while waiting for the reshuffle, which is long overdue, in the State Cabinet have once again rekindled their hopes when Chief Minister O Ibobi told newsmen at Maphou dam on Monday that "it can't be said that it (reshuffle) is necessary or it is not necessary" .

The MLAs, top on the list of those waiting, are reading between the lines on what Chief Minister Ibobi had said.

They would like to interpret the Chief Minister's statement in such a manner that though he did not say it straight and openly, he has not rejected the necessity for reshuffling the Council of Ministers either.

Based on this conjecture, the MLAs feel that the reshuffle may be done in the first week of April when the AICC General Secretary, North East in-Charge, L Faleiro visits Manipur.

The latter is expected to arrive at Imphal on April 7 or 8 .

If the reshuffle is not effected still then, it may be done after the elections of Autonomous District Councils scheduled to be held on May 19 and 26, sources said.

The Congress MLAs, who are still passive so far, may otherwise lose their patience if the reshuffling is not carried out by then and not inducted as the Cabinet Ministers.

Agreeing with the talks going the rounds among the people that almost all of the senior and one or two of the younger Cabinet Ministers were not performing their ministerial duties well, the Congress MLAs asserted that the reasons for replacing them are strong enough.

Besides, the Chief Minister had promised them that there would be a reshuffle in the Council of Ministers every half year, the MLAs pointed out and lamented that he has not kept his words.

Political analysts see the symptom of the secret grumblings among the Congress MLAs boding ill for the Chief Minister.

In all likelihood, the grumblings may take the shape of an open revolt against the Chief Minister soon.

But as of now, none of the frustrated MLAs dares speak up loudly and openly.

Yet, it may be noted here that a senior Cabinet Minister recently went to New Delhi possibly to meet Congress leaders with the hope of telling them adverse stories about Ibobi.

At least, he apparently told the Tehelka news magazine certain things about the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, political analysts feel that the Congress leadership at the centre would most probably not encourage any dissident activities within the Manipur unit of the party, as the next Assembly election is only two years away.

Thus, O Ibobi may last his second term as Chief Minister without much trouble.

But he may face a lot of problems when the question of electing the leader of Congress Legislature Party arises at the time of forming a new government, the analysts feel.

A reshuffle of the State Cabinet at this stage may reduce more than half of the problems that Ibobi is likely to face two years hence, the analysts predicted.

Comment