Imphal, April 11 2009: Leaders of the MPCC including Chief Minister, O Ibobi, veteran Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP, Rishang Keishing, Ministers and MLAs landed in Ukhrul district today and launched election campaign for the party there.

In total contrast with promises made by the party in other parts of the state, the leaders sought votes in favour of the Congress for upholding secularism and communal harmony to strengthen the country in general and the state in particular.

However, the leaders were reserved on various issues like Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 and the territorial integrity which are the main issues among the political parties fielding their candidates in the election.

Chief Minister, O Ibobi, who addressed the gathering at an election rally at Tangkhul Nagalong ground, promised implementation of the 6th revised pay structure of the Central government employees to state employees by 2010 .

About 3000 people from different parts of the district gathered at the meeting where the Congress leaders sought vote for the party for strengthening the state in particular and the nation in general through secularism.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister clarified that state government has no resource to meet with the excess expenditure to be incurred while implementing the recommendation of the 6th Pay Commission to its employees.

The delay in the implementation does not mean government not trying to implement the recommendation but it was due to lack of resources.

Government had submitted memorandum to the commission for award of adequate funds for the same, Ibobi said.

Mention may be made that Manipur government in the memorandum submitted to the 13th finance commission who visited the state in January this year submit a memorandum to the commission for award of Rs 25,0000 from 13th commission including an additional fund of Rs 4,000 crores to meet the expenditure to be incurred in the payment of Centre's revised sixth pay to its employees.

As soon as the green signal of the awarding the additional funds, government will revised the pay structures of the employees, the chief minister assured.

"I expect the implementation of the recommendation will possible by 2010," he added.

He also called the people to vote to the party which would uphold the secularism of the country.

Rishang Keishing, veteran Congress leader and sitting MP of Rajya Sabha who ruled the state as Chief Minister for 16 years cautioned the electors to be bewared of those communal forces and remain stay away from them.

He said for such a long time, Congress is protecting and upholding the secularism of the country without keeping any bias of being minority or majority.

The party is always committed to secularism which is the basis of the Indian union.

Congress is the only party which had and has been protecting the secularism of the country.

Under thee leadership of Sonia Gandhi, the party will works tirelessly for upholding secularism, he added.

The visit of the chief minister accompanied by many of his ministers and MLAs including his wife Landhoni, Thangso Baite, the candidate in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary (ST) Constituency and senior leader of the Congress, former Manipur chief minister, Rishang Keishing also attended the meeting which was held at Tangkhul Nagalong.

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