IMPHAL, Dec 22?To avoid any toppling game plan hatched by the Opposition Democratic People?s Alliance(DPA), Chief Minister O Ibobi has acted swiftly and literally put ten Ministers, who are suspected to have sent feelers to the Opposition camp, under ?lock? at an undisclosed hotel in Kolkata cutting off all contacts with the outside world. Amidst this new development, the DPA under the BJP is leaving no stones unturned to topple the Congress led SPF Government before the anti-defection Bill passed by Parliament becomes a law.
Sensing the new political developments in Manipur, the states? BJP MP in the Lok Sabha Thounaojam Chaoba called for the installation of a BJP led coalition Government in Manipur prior to the conversion of the anti-defection bill into an act. Speaking to the mediamen on Sunday morning before his Delhi trip to attend the last session of the Parliament on Monday, Chaoba said. The fate of the SPF ministry in Manipur could not be pronounceable once the bill becomes a act?.
Charging the ruling ministers of accumulating private properties instead of expediting several development projects in time, Chaoba also warned that the report of bribing the officials of the union finance ministry in New Delhi by some leaders of the SPF government led by chief minister Ibobi Singhshould be dealt with ?seriuously?. Meanwhile another source said that Ministers including Family Welfare Minister Bijoy Koijam, Agriculture Minister K Ranjit, Social Welfare Minister DK Korungthang, Labour Minister Z Mangaibou, Veterinary Minister (MoS with independent charge) Thangso Baite, PHED Minister Allaudin Khan, MoS for Fishery (Independent charge) Mani-ruddin Sheikh, GAD Minister Francis Ngajokpa, Transport Minister Manga Vaiphei and Horticulture Minister RK Theko were kept under ?lock? at a Kolkata hotel since the last two days.
Sources added that Bijoy Koijam and K Ranjit have been assigned the task of monitoring the movement and communication of the other Ministers. These two young Ministers are deemed to be extremely close to the Chief Minister who enjoy the confidence of the top man, disclosed sources. The speaker of the state Assembly T N Haokip and Rural development Minister N Loken also left for New Delhi on Sunday in view of the recent political development in this border State.
Immense pressure was mounted on the other Ministers to leave the State as the Chief Minister had certain grounds to suspect that they were in touch with the Opposition to overthrow the SPF Government. These Ministers are expected to be kept under close surveillance in Kolkata until the anti-defection Bill becomes a law after getting the President?s assent, said sources.
However a source from Congress Bhawan said that the Ministers had left Imphal for Kolkata on their own volition for some work related to their respective departments. The source further said that there is no internal problem within the Government but added that some Ministers are feeling insecure over the latest decision of the Parliament to fix the size of the Ministry at 12. On the other hand, the DPA is working overtime to wean away some of the SPF Ministers to form a BJP led Government before the anti-defection Bill is enacted as a law, the sources said.
The Ministers who are presently kept secluded in a Kolkata hotel were in touch with the Opposition, they added. The DPA is trying chart out a new strategy to lure away the Ministers presently kept holed up at Kolkata. The BJP North East in charge V Satish who arrived here on Saturday had called on Governor Arvind Dave and discussed a number of things. He also met FPM president Dr L Chandramani and FPM legislature wing leader N Nilachandra.