Chandramani on MSCP truce mission

IMPHAL, April 26: Former Deputy Chief Minister L Chandramani today said that he has been trying to resolve the leadership crisis of the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) as the Chairman of a five member Re-unification Committee which was formed just after the fall of the then MSCP led United Front Government. Asked if there is any possibility of resolving the crisis in the party when the Election Commission has already recognized the two groups separately as MSCP(N) and MSCP(C), he said that anything can happen in politics and nothing should be read as final or definite. The time is not right for any division in the MSCP given the prevailing situation of Manipur. The leaders should not break up the party, which won 23 seats in the last State Assembly election. The people had almost given a clear mandate to the MSCP though it was a new party. Even the MPP could not register such an impressive record when it was first formed, he said. Regarding the causes of the MSCP crisis, Chandramani simply said that it was due to a communication gap between the former Chief Minister W Nipamacha and the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Food Processing, T Chaoba. Though he has been trying to resolve the conflict between the two MSCP leaders, Chandramani said he had given his affidavit in support of T Chaoba at the last minute. He however, said that he would try his level best to resolve the crisis between the two leaders. He said he had no knowledge about the allegation of forging the signatures of some MSCP MLAs in the affidavits submitted to the Election Commission allegedly by the Nipamacha group. On the performance of Radhabinod led People's Front (PF) Government, Chandramani said he could not see any difference between the present Government and the former Nipamacha led PF Government except in the mode of handling the policies of improving financial management and the law and order situation in the State. Replying to a query on the question of changing the leadership of the PF Government, he countered it would be unfair to judge Radhabinod Koijam in just three months time, adding that more time should be given to the new Chief Minister to prove himself. It would not be right for all to blame him for the present situation in the State, he added. Manipur's financial crisis began as early as 1966-67 when the State began purchasing power. The State's recurring overdraft is also due to purchase of power, he added. It will take time to implement financial discipline in the State. This cannot be done in just three months, Chandramani said, wishing Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam to continue for sometime. Charging the people for not clearing various taxes, he said democracy is meaningless without the participation of the people.