Four member Cong led SPF Ministry formed

Imphal, March 07: Okram Ibobi of the Congress (I) was today sworn as the 19 Chief Minister of Manipur since Statehood to lead a four party coalition Government in the State. The new Ministry will prove its strength on the floor of the House on March 11 and the Ministry expansion will be held within one week's time. State Governor Ved Marwah administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ibobi during the swearing in ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan Banquet Hall at 10.30 this morning. Three others were also sworn in as Cabinet Ministers. The President Rule imposed on June two last year came to end on Tuesday. The Cabinet Ministers are MSCP legislature party leader and former Minister K Govindas, CPI's PH Parijat and NCP's Chungkhokai Doungel. The four leaders took the oath in English. Congress, MSCP, CPI and NCP are the constituent partners of the SPF. Later after the swearing in ceremony, Ibobi left for New Delhi along with Congress observers Imran Kidwai and Bhubaneshwor Kalita. Front Steering Committee chairman Rishang Keishing, MPs W Angou and Holkhomang Haokip and DGP AA Siddiqui also accompanied him. The new Chief Minister will return on Saturday. During his absence due to the Delhi visit, Parijat will hold the charge of the Chief Minister. Earlier, Ibobi told reporters at the Raj Bhavan that during his stay in Delhi, he will meet Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and discuss with her matters relating to the size of the Ministry and Cabinet expansion. He will also call on the Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Union Home Minister, Union Finance Minister and chairman of the Planning Commission and discuss with then the State's law and order and financial crisis. When questioned on the priorities of the new Ministry, Ibobi replied that his Ministry stresses importance on improving the law and order situation of the State. Resource mobilization measures will also be taken up to improve fiscal health, he said adding release of Government funds other than for payment of employees salaries will be banned for some time until the financial health of the State gets an improvement. To another question, the Chief Minister said SPF Govt will prove its majority on the floor of the House on March 11 after his return from Delhi. Only three Cabinet Ministers were sworn in as the Front partners had an undertaking to take up the matter of expansion of the Ministry after the confidence vote, he said. Stating that the expansion will be effected within one week, Ibobi hinted at a small size Ministry in view of the State's bad financial health. He said all the Front partners will be consulted before the expansion. A separate source said the appointment of the Assembly Speaker will be done before the confidence vote. The Chief Minister said the session of the Eight Assembly will begin at the earliest but hinted that it could be short. The session being the first will be addressed by the Governor, he added. Today's oath taking function was attended by a host of former Chief Ministers and Opposition leaders including former Speaker Dr S Dhanaigoy, W Nipamacha, Rishang Keishing, BJP's RK Dorendra, Lok Sabha MP Th Chaoba and Rajya Sabha MP W Angou, FPM's I Hemochandra, Congress observers Imran Kidwai and Bhubaneshwor Kalita and other elected members and party leaders. Top civil and police officials also attended the ceremony. Former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam, Dr L Chandramani and MPP's O Joy Singh were conspicuous by their absence during the ceremony. The SPF members came together in a bus to the Raj Bhavan and departed in the same manner. When asked, one SPF member said the Front has to take "caution" before the expansion of the Ministry.