Koijam sworn in as Manipur CM

IMPHAL, February 15: Samata Party leader Radhabinod Koijam was today sworn in as the Chief Minister of Manipur ending two days of political uncertainty in this border state. Governor Ved Prakash Marwah administered the oath of office and secrecy to 58-year-old lawyer-turned-politician Koijam who heads the People's Front (PF). Koijam told reporters that he would expand the ministry on his return from New Delhi. The PF ministry would be a medium-sized one, he added. Raj Bhavan sources said Koijam had submitted a list of 45 MLAs supporting him to the Governor. The list was distributed to mediapersons. Front sources, however, claimed that except for lone Congress MLA and former Chief Minister Rishang Keishing, all remaining legislators in the 60-member Assembly with an effective strength of 59 had extended support to the PF. Former Chief Minister Wanhengbam Nipamacha Singh, who was present at the swearing-in ceremony, told newspersons that his Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) extended support to PF which came into being yesterday. Samata Party national general secretary Shambhu Srivastava, BJP secretary in-charge of Northeast P Acharya, Union Minister of State for Food Processing T Chaoba Singh and several PF legislators attended the swearing-in function. The PF now comprises Samata Party-12, BJP-6, MSCP-23, JD (S)-1, Manipur People's Party-1, Nationalist Congress Party-2, besides Federal Party of Manipur-4 and an Independent. PF sources said only Koijam was sworn in and oath-taking of other PF legislators was deferred to avoid possible out break of bickering among the constituents. PF sources said Central leaders of Samata Party and BJP exerted "pressure" on their State units to cobble together the PF yesterday as the formation on February 13 of the short-lived United Democratic Alliance with the Samata Party, Manipur State Congress Party (Nipamacha Singh faction) and Federal Party of Manipur "did not have their approval" Samata Party, JD (S), MPP and NCP were also constituents of MDF.