Fast paced political development starts tongues wagging
Govindas Konthoujam quits as MPCC chief
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 20 2021: Adding masala to the otherwise staid political situation and adding gist to the rumour mills doing the round, president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee and former Minister Govindas Konthoujam has resigned from the post.

To take stock of the situation unfolding within the State unit of the Congress, AICC Manipur-in-charge Bhakta Charan Das is scheduled to arrive here tomorrow.

Govindas Konthoujam represents Bishnupur AC in the Assembly.

Sources said that Govindas Konthoujam submitted his resignation letter to AICC president Sonia Gandhi on July 17.Personal issue was the reason cited for the resignation, said the sources.

Sources from Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee said that it is yet to receive any official communication on the resignation of Govindas Konthoujam.

Speculations doing the round is the talk that along with Govindas another 8 or 9 Congress MLAs may follow suit and jump onto the bandwagon of the BJP.

However no one from the Congress has resigned from the primary membership of the party, said sources from the MPCC (I).

At the moment Govindas Konthoujam along with some other Congress are at Delhi to meet Central leaders of the saffron party.

Significantly there is a convention that once the president of MPCC (I) resigns, then the office of all the other officer bearers are also dissolved, said the sources.

To discuss the emerging scenario, a meeting of Congress legislators was held today with CLP leader and former Chief Minister O Ibobi in the chair today.

It is however not yet clear what was discussed during the meeting.

On the other hand, to take stock of the fast developing scenario, AICC Manipur in charge Bhakta Charan Das is set to arrive here tomorrow.

The AICC leader is expected to discuss the appointment of either an interim president or a president in charge of MPCC as the post cannot be left vacant for long.

The latest development is seen in the backdrop of the fact that the Supreme Court has kept its judgment on the appointment of 12 Parliamentary Secretaries on reserve till July 26.Out of the 12, one has already resigned from the BJP and the Assembly.

Two other BJP MLAs had also resigned from the Assembly and the party leaving Henglep AC, Naoriya Pakhanglakpa AC and Tamenglong AC vacant.

The BJP won 21 seats in the 2017 Assembly elections and its strength got reduced to 18 in the Assembly following the resignation of the three MLAs.

The party had however won four of the five ACs where by elections were held last year, boosting its strength to 22.The reading is, if 11 MLAs are disqualified by the Supreme Court, out of which 7 are from the BJP, then its strength will get reduced to 15 in the Assembly.

The other MLAs are from the NPF and the lone Independent MLA from Jiribam AC.

Sources privy to the new developments said that Govindas Konthoujam along with some other Congress MLAs may float a new party and bail the BJP led Government out if the Supreme Court disqualifies the 11 MLAs on the office of profit charge.

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