Imphal, May 22 2009: The over seven year old relationship between the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Indian National Congress in the State is set to end as the leading partner in the Secular Progressive alliance (SPF) Government has decided against continuing the partnership.

Decision to eject the CPI had been reportedly adopted this morning at an informal meeting of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) at New Delhi, where top Congress leaders including Chief Minister O ibobi Singh are currently staying.

However, CPI leaders here in the State claimed there is no indication of the party being abandoned mid-way into the second term of the SPF Government.

The Communist leaders, whom the Sangai Express talked to were of the opinion that in case Congress decides to part ways with the CPI then the SPF terminology too has to be deleted.

According to sources, members of the MPCC's highest decision making body, who are staying at the National capital in connection with the oath taking ceremony of Dr manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister, were closeted in a meeting from about 10 am till 10.30 am wherein political development in the aftermath of the 15th Lok Sabha elections were deliberated upon in addition to deciding to keep away CPI legislators from the SPF coalition.

Those who were in attendance at the said meeting include the Congress Legislature Party leader and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, MPCC president Gaikhangam (MLA), vice president T mangibabu, Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency MP Dr T Meinya, Outer MP Thangso baite, Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing, Power Minister Phungzathang Tonsing, MOBC Minister Md Allauddin Khan and MLAs including Y Surchandra, M Hemanta and Kh Ratan.

Sharing some details, an MLA who participated at the meeting said there had been a move to part ways with the CPI in the State when Central leaders of the Left party withdrew support to the UPA Government on the Nuclear deal issue.

Moreover, following re-alignment of political parties in the UPA fold preceding Parliamentary elections and overwhelming mandate of the electorate in favour of the UPA partners after the hustings, change in the State's context with regard to the Congress-CPI alliance had become inevitable, he expressed while adding that the Chief Minister on his return is likely to formally convey the development to CPI leaders.

Even though MPCC president Gaikhangam declined to provide more information, he described the meeting as informal as there was no specific agenda.

The MPCC chief also said it is the prerogative of the Chief Minister to decide who should be in the SPF council of Ministers.

It may be mentioned that while the CPI is the coalition partner, the SPF Govt has the outside support of MLAs belonging to the RJD (3), NPP (3) and some Independents.

The INC alone commands 31 MLAs in the 60-member legislative Assembly while the CPI has four.

Reliable source disclosed to The Sangai Express that, besides change in political scenario in the Centre and INC candidates bagging both the Parliamentary seats of the State, pressure by Congress MLAs for Ministerial berths is one of the factors for the impending ouster of the CPI from the SPF fold.

Moreover, there is also possibility of a reshuffle in the SPF Council of Ministers that prompted the Congress party leaders to signal end of the Congress-CPI cordiality as a formality so as to entertain 'younger legislators' in the SPF Ministry, the source speculated.

CPI State unit leader Ph Parijat, who is also the Health Minister reaffirmed to a group of reporters that decision adopted today by the Congress leaders to drop the Left party had not been officially conveyed.

If at all the Congress party decides to sever ties with the CPI there is no way of retaining the SPF tag, he maintained.

Opining that there would be no sense of compunction if the Congress sticks to the decision, Parijat said the CPI had been a partner of the SPF Government for the past seven years with the objectives of ensuring existence of a stable Govt, to jointly tackle/address numerous problems besetting the State such as insurgency, State's integrity and to thwart threat from activists of the armed outfits.

citing technicalities of a coalition Government, former Minister Dr M Nara of the CPI said shutting out his party from the SPF Government entails resignation of the Chief Minister on account of O Ibobi being the leader of the coalition as well as for fresh formation of the Government solely of the Congress.

Himself a key member of the SPF steering committee, Dr Nara asserted that this political development, if at all, will have no negative impact to the CPI organisation saying 'we will continue to serve the people on our own'.

Dr Nara had also contested the recently held Lok Sabha elections from the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency which was won by Dr T Meinya.

Reacting in the same vein, CPI State unit's assistant secretary L Sotinkumar said the party would harbour no hard feeling when the Congress takes such a decision on their own volition.

The Congress, however, should not be naive that the CPI had been an ally of the SPF Government to save Manipur and that the Front was set formed much before existence of the UPA in the Centre, the CPI functionary added.

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