Stage set for parade, Chief Minister in tight spot
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, June 29 2014: As announced earlier, 25 disgruntled MLAs of Congress legislature party which have a total strength of 47 MLAs, have all geared up to parade before the Chief Minister Bungalow tomorrow morning to press their demand for replacing 10 Ministers from the present 12-member Council of Ministers, thus, keeping Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh in a dilemma over how to bring about an amicable solution to the impasse which has all the potentials of causing a political chaos in the State in case of ignoring the demand any more.

According to a reliable source, the 25 MLAs would be entering the CM Bungalow at Babupara at around 8 am tomorrow.

Earlier, it was estimated that a total of 30 MLAs would take part in the parade but the number has reduced to 25 as five MLAs including D Korungthang, MLA of Tengnoupal A/C; Md Fazlur Rahim, MLA of Wabgai A/C and Ginsuanhau, MLA of Singhat A/C presently out of station.

The agitating MLAs would meet Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and exert pressures on him to replace the Ministers within a definite deadline.

In case, the Chief Minister failed to give an indefinite deadline or given any assurance in this regard, they would hold another meeting at the place of one of the MLAs here to discuss the future course of action to be taken up, the source said.

The MLAs will also decide whether they should or not participate in the State Legislative Assembly Session which is scheduled to start from July 11 next.

Notably, the MLAs spearheading the protest comprise of ex-MLAs and several who have not got Ministerial berth even once.

Even though the disgruntled MLAs have been exerting pressures on the Chief Minister to replace the Ministers within a given time, it is most unlikely that reshuffling of the Ministry would be effect before the Assembly session, the source pointed out.

It may be noted here that the demand for replacing the current Ministers with exception to that of the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister as the Chief Minister had assured that Ministerial berths would be given to those Congress MLAs who were left out in the first Ministry expansion after the end of the first half of the term of the current 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Most of the left out Congress MLAs have been waiting in the hope that the Chief Minister would keep his words and give them the chance to become Ministers.

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