4/5 Ministers likely to be scrapped CM calls on Governor with 'list'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 10 2016: Finally Chief Minister O Ibobi has consulted Governor V Shanmuganathan over the much talked about Ministry reshuffle and four/five incumbent Ministers are likely to be scrapped shortly to make room for an equal number of MLAs who have never been inducted into the Council of Ministers.

Chief Minister O Ibobi called on Governor V Shanmuganathan at the Raj Bhavan this afternoon and they talked for around 10 minutes.

It is said that no one accompanied the Chief Minister when he called on the Governor.

CM, Governor, TN Haokip

Nonetheless, information received by press said that the Chief Minister presented a list of four/five Ministers who would be scrapped from his Ministry and another list of MLAs who would replace them.

However, the source refused to divulge names of the Ministers who would be dropped and the MLAs who would take their places.

Meanwhile, newly elected MPCC president TN Haokip arrived here this afternoon after a meeting with AICC president Sonia Gandhi.

He also joined the Congress party's election campaign in Assam for a brief period.

Soon after his arrival, TN Haokip called on the Chief Minister and they also discussed about the impending Ministry reshuffle.

Notably, as many as 23 MLAs joined hands and raised a strong voice of dissidence even though they preferred to call themselves a pressure group rather than dissidents.

Strict adherence to the Congress party's principle of 'one man, one post' and Ministry reshuffle are the two main demands of the dissident MLAs.

Even though a new MPCC president has been appointed by AICC, the bickering within Congress party has not settled yet.

It looks like only Ministry reshuffle is a plausible solution to the issue, informed well placed sources.

The 23 MLAs seem not satisfied with the replacement of Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam by MLA TN Haokip as MPCC president.

The MLAs have been demanding replacement of the entire Council of Ministers with the exception of Chief Minister O Ibobi.

They have made it clear that at least six MLAs who had never held Ministerial portfolios should be inducted into the new Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister may appoint incumbent Ministers to the remaining Ministerial posts.

But the Chief Minister finds it very tricky to decide who should be removed from the Council of Ministers and which MLAs should be inducted, said the sources.

Whereas the rebel MLAs have been demanding induction of six of them into the Council of Ministers, only four or five of them are likely to be inducted.