Imphal, August 31: With the tenure of the existing MPCC president Gaikhangam expiring on September 10 and in the absence of any intimation from the AICC on holding elections, the Congress party is looking upto AICC whether Gaikhangam would be asked to continue as MPCC president until a new president is elected or another individual would be appointed as adhoc MPCC president.

Elected from Nungba A/C, Gaikhangam was approved as MPCC president by AICC president Sonia Gandhi on September 10, 2005.He was given the charge of MPCC president on September 18 of the same year by Chief Minister O Ibobi who also held the post of MPCC president then.

There was a serious crisis within the Congress party before Gaikhangam was elected MPCC president.

With the MPCC members deeply divided on the presidential candidature, the party was unable to find a consensus candidate.

This resulted in a political turmoil within the party.

Only after a joint meeting was held among elected PCC members with an election officer of AICC and a single resolution declaring to accept any individual selected by AICC as MPCC president was sent to AICC, Gaikhangam was appointed MPCC president.

With the tenure of MPCC president expiring and Parliamentary elections approaching, political unrest within the Congress party is increasing silently and steadily on who should be elected next MPCC president.

Hiyanglam A/C MLA and Chairman of Manipur Pollution Control Board E Dwijamani has already collected signatures of PCC members/MLAs and sent a letter to the AICC claiming that majority of the MLAs support him for the post of MPCC president.

Interestingly, MPCC vice-presidents and treasurers are generally appointed by AICC directly without conducting elections for the tenure of three years while other party office bearers would be appointed by the elected MPCC president.

The term of the existing PCC members and party office bearers has already expired two months back.

Should a new MPCC president be elected, election schedule for election of party office bearers should have been announced 4/5 months back.

But the schedule has not been announced till date which only hints that organisational election of the party will not be held until the Parliamentary election is over.

Under the prevailing situation, political analysts have started studying whether it would be beneficial or not to collect signatures of MLAs.

Considering past incidents like imposition of President's Rule when RK Dorendra was Congress Chief Minister commanding support of majority MLAs, the refusal of AICC to remove O Ibobi from Chief Ministership in the face of majority MLAs were camping and lobbying against Ibobi's Chief Ministership and the act of issuing Rajya Sabha ticket to Rishang Keishing even as he was not recommended by MPCC only proved that majority does not always count.

As such, it lies with the AICC wether Gaikhangam would continue as MPCC president or a new one would be elected.

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