Imphal, February 25, 2010: Amid strong speculation that the Manipur People's Party (MPP) is passing through a critical phase on the issue of indiscipline among its legislators, the regional party's president Dr Nimaichand Luwang has revealed that two MLAs elected on MPP tickets are no more its members.

Conceding that out of five MPP legislators one has already been expelled for alleged indulgence in anti-party activities, Dr Luwang said two others have also been deleted from the MPP fold as the duo had not renewed their memberships.

Even though the former Minister declined to name the two MLAs whose memberships had ceased, it is apparent that he meant Dr Ng Bijoy of Khurai AC and I Ibohalbi of Oinam.

Inspite of not taking names he affirmed that "they are no more members of our party as they failed to renew their memberships".

The president also explained that as per MPP constitution, any member of the party, who fail to renew his or her membership consecutively for three years would cease from being a member.

Though the last date for membership renewal was October 31, the two MLAs did not renew it despite several reminders and even requests and hence their names are not incorporated in the new membership list of the party, he maintained while asserting that "this being the case they are not related with MPP and this trend is 'so unfortunate' in the party.

In April last year, the MPP suspended Andro AC legislator Th Shyamkumar Singh, who was elected from the party ticket, from the primary membership of MPP charging him of indulging in anti-party activities during the second phase election of Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency.

Shyamkumar, who stepped down from the office of the State Assembly's deputy speaker is currently detained in jail in connection with a case of being sympathizer of underground organizations.

Rregardless of the triple setbacks Dr Luwang proclaimed MPP's preparedness for the next assembly polls with th assertion that ground works to revamp the party's organisational set up has commenced in the valley areas in view of the forthcoming poll likely to be held in the early part of 2012. "We will fully concentrate in the valley areas which has 42 out of the total of 60 assembly segments for the next assembly election," said Dr Luwang who was elected as MPP chief for the second consecutive term on Wednesday.

"For the remaining 20 seats in the hills, we will tie up and coordinate with like-minded political parties to defeat the Congress," he asserted.

Divulging the ground works, he said the party has already begun political motivation camps and meeting in the assembly and district levels particularly in the four valley districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Thoubal.

"Our youth and Chanura (women) wings are also carrying out the same task in these areas," he informed.

Confiding that MPP is unlikely to field candidates for the ensuing election to the Autonomous District Council (ADC) in the six district councils slated for April, the MPP chief said "Frankly speaking our party is not so strong in the hills and hence we may not field out candidates in the ADC polls.

However, we are mulling over to support like-minded and non-Congress parties," he added.

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