Gaikhangam, Erabot stay back in Delhi, CM returns with no list
No meeting point over three slots
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 22 2012: Even as Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has returned to Imphal today, MPCC president Gaikhangam who is also the Home Minister and MLA Y Erabot are yet to return and are still at Delhi.

Ibobi who left for Delhi on April 15 for the twin purpose of attending the Chief Ministers' Conference on Internal Security and also to meet AICC leaders on the Ministry expansion returned today.

Significantly Sonia Gandhi is reported to have met the Home Minister and MPCC president Gaikhangam yesterday evening, though she did not meet the Chief Minister.

As the matter of Ministry expansion could not be settled with Ibobi alone, the AICC high command summoned Gaikhangam and Erabot too yesterday.

According to sources, a serious confusion has cropped up within the Congress party as there is a lot of incompatibility in the two lists of likely Ministers put forward to the AICC high command by Chief Minister O Ibobi and Home Minister Gaikhangam.

Chief Minister O Ibobi, Home Minister Gaikhangam and MLA Y Erabot

Out of the 8 slots to be filled in the 12 member Council of Ministers, there is no difference over five in the lists submitted by the Chief Minister and Home Minister Gaikhangam, said a reliable source while speaking to The Sangai Express today evening.

There is however no meeting point over the remaining three, resulting the in the state of a stalemate.

The newly elected Congress Government is still unable to expand its Ministry to the full strength on account of the internal differences about who and who should be made Ministers.

The Chief Minister is reported to have met the political advisor to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel at Delhi on April 20, said the source.

After examining the two lists brought by Ibobi and Gaikhangam, Sonia Gandhi instructed the duo to thrash out their differences and come to an amicable solution at the earliest.

As of now, it cannot be said with any certainly why Gaikhangam and Erabot stayed back while Ibobi has returned.

Nevertheless, Gaikhangam is likely to return tomorrow.

In the first Ministry expansion on March 16, Gaikhangam was alloted the Home portfolio while senior Congressman Th Debendra was given Revenue and GAD while Phungzathang Tonsing was alloted the Health portfolio.

Eight slots remain to be filled.