11 MLAs including three from Opposition join Congress in Manipur

Imphal, June 19: In a new political twist which may lead to major changes within the Congress led SPF Ministry, M MLAs including 5 Ministers of the MSCP and another 3 of the NCP which are constituent partners of the ruling SPF and all three MLAs of the Samata Party, a partner of the Opposition DPA have split their respective parties and merged with the Congress today. Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh who is also the MPCC (I) president has accepted their merger. MPCC (I) general secretary (administration) Bidyapati Senjam has also issued an order to this effect today. The merger of the 11 MLAs has weaken the SPF coalition while the number of Congress members in the Ministry has increased to 31. With the split of 3 SP members, the strength of the Opposition DPA has been reduced to just 19 MLAs. The MSCP Ministers who joined the Congress are PHED Minister Govindas Konthoujam, MoS Family Welfare (Ind charge) Bijoy Koijam, Vety and Animal Husbandry Minister Y Mani, MoS PHED Thangso Baite and MoS Fisheries and Government Press (Ind charge) Wungnaoshang Keishing. Following the split, only Social Welfare Minister Vivek Raj and Higher Education Minister Y Erabot who was elected as the legislature party leader of the MSCP only on June 17 are left with the party. The three NCP Ministers are Forest Minister Chungkhokai Doungel, Revenue Minister E Biramani and MoS Works L Radhakishwor. The three sitting MLAs of the SP who have split from the party and joined Congress are T Manga Vaiphei, L Lala and DK Korungthang. Govindas alongwith the seven members finalized the merger by first forming the MSCP (Secular). The NCP MLAs led by Chungkhokai Doungel also effected the merger on the same lines by forming the NCP (Democratic) while the SP MLAs led by Manga Vaiphei merged in the name of SP (Progressive). Earlier on June 17, the State Assembly Speaker TN Haokip had published separate Bulletin Part II notifications giving recognition to the formation of the new political parties which merged with the Congress today. After the splits were effected by the 8 Ministers and 3 MLAs today, MSCP is left with just two members while the three member NCP is left with the party organisation only. No MLA is left with the SP either. Political observers are now closely monitoring the next steps of the Congress and on the question whether the NCP which is devoid of any MLA after its three MLAs switched loyalties will continue its ties with the SPF. On the other, hand, though Y Erabot and Vivek Raj still continue to be Ministers in the SPF Government, the merger and the rise in the strength of the Congress to 31 has put a question mark on their fates. The Congress party's acceptance of the merger of the 11 MLAs came for heavy criticism from leaders of the SPF constituent parties who said the move is in gross violation of the memorandum of understanding signed among the partners at the time of forming the SPF. The MoU had agreed not to encourage defection and not to accept defecting MLAs. The Congress has broken the agreement; they charged and continued that the SPF Core Committee and Steering Committee were not consulted by the Congress on the merger issue. It is worth mentioning that Samata president Lohrii, party leader and former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam and other party leaders are yet to return from Andhra Pradesh where they had gone to attend the Samata Party central executive committee meeting on June 15 and 16. The leaders alleged that the move was made with the sole intent of installing a Congress Ministry in the State and block the joining of MSCP president and MP Th Chaoba into its fold. The constituent partners of both the SPF and Opposition DPA were caught by surprise at the latest development. Most of the political parties convened emergency meetings and discussed the scenario. The CPI which is a constituent of the SPF held a meeting at Irabot Bhavan this noon with State secretary B Sharma presiding it. The meeting attended by party MLAs and leaders deliberated in details the situation arising out of the latest development. However details of the meeting were not made public and the party's stand and viewpoints on the merger could be announced during the next few days, said reliable sources. The CPI has five members who are all Ministers in the SPF Government. The constituents of SPF are Congress, MSCP, CPI, DPP, NCP and MNC. The issue of the merger of, MSCP to the Congress has been making the political rounds during the last few days both in the State and the central leadership of the Congress. The matter could not be finalized by the AICC as differences of opinion arose between Chief Minister O Ibobi and his mentor Rajya Sabha MP Rishang on the issue of accepting MSCP president Th Chaoba by the party. The split by the SP MLAs was also beyond comprehension of some Opposition leaders, said sources.