Imphal, May 19 2009: Banking on its historic clean sweep of both the Parliamentary Constituency in the recent 15th Lok Sabha elections the manipur pradesh Congress Committee is brimming with confidence of getting atleast one ministerial berth when the central ministry of the UPA Government is constituted.

Boosted with the bagging of both the seats coupled with the fact that a Congress-led Government is in power in the State, the MPCC has been harbouring hope of achieving the distinction of yet another ministerial berth in the Centre after historic inductions of late RK Jaichandra and meijinglung Kamson as Congressmen.

Mention may be made here that in addition to the nomination of Rishang Keishing in the rajya Sabha, manipur would be represented by Dr T Meinya and Thangso Baite in the Indian Parliament.

The MP trio along with MPCC president Gaikhangam are currently in New Delhi where there is hectic political activities for formation of a new UPA ministry.

Reflecting on the success story of the Congress party in the State and with apparent reference to high expectation in the State unit of the country's oldest national party, Media Cell chairman of the MPCC Seram Mangi said, "Considering all these facts, we are very much confident that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will give ministerial berth to one of the MPs of the State.

It is the prerogative of the PM as to whom the berth would be given".

The MPCC functionary also conveyed that Dr Meinya was today one of the seconders in the election of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi as Chair-person of the Congress Parliamentary Party.

Sonia's name is informed to have been proposed by Pranab Mukherjee.

Conceding that there had been no indication from the AICC with regard to inclusion of State MP/MPs in the Central ministry, Mangi nevertheless pointed to the party's historic win in both the Parliamentary constituencies in the State for the Central party leaders to consider accommodating atleast one of the MPs.

Highlighting that percentage-wise the Congress party performed appreciably well in Manipur than their Assam counter-parts, he further said, "Another factor we are expecting to get the berth is the economic backward-ness of the region and the concept of the ambitious Look East Policy".

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