BJP-FPM group decides to don opposition mantle

Imphal, March 03: The BJP, the Samata Party, the MPP, and the Federal Party of Manipur have formed a new political alliance, dubbed the Democratic People?s Alliance, but have decided not to make a bid for power at this time. Disclosing this at a press conference today, leaders of the new alliance said they would work as a responsible and constructive opposition group in the Assembly. The four parties have a combined strength of 22 among them, including thirteen of the FPM, four of BJP, three of Samata Party, and two of the MPP. Prof Gangmumei Kamei, FPM vice president, said a coordination committee of the new front, consisting of the legislature wing leaders of the four parties, agreed unanimously at a meeting held this evening at the residence of FPM president Dr L Chandramani to appoint Chandramani as convenor and Dr Nimaichand Luwang of the MPP as co-convenor of the DPA. Prof Gangmumei Kamei said there is no proposal for the new alliance to seek to form a new government at this time, as the conditions were unfavorable. Instead it has been decided to sit in the opposition when the Secular Democratic Progressive Front forms the government, he said. He added that in order to act as a constructive and responsible opposition, the parties constituting the alliance have started charting out their future course of actions. They were also working for coordinated floor management during the sessions of the state Assembly, he said. He stated that the DPA will continue to be in the oppositions until conditions come up which favors the formation of a government by it.