Manipur CM favours ceasefire with all insurgent outfits in NE

NEW DELHI, February 21 (PTI): New Manipur Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam today asked the centre to announce a total ceasefire in the Northeast on the lines of Jammu and Kashmir saying a partial initiative with only NSCN (IM) would not work. There has to be a total ceasefire like the one in J&K involving all the groups. The Centre should spell out whether the ongoing ceasefire (with NSCN-IM) has a geographical limit. The concept of this ceasefire has to be made clear, Koijam told reporters after his meeting here today with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Koijam, who also had meetings with senior ministers like LK Advani, George Fernandez. Yashwant Sinha and deputy planning commission KC Pant, said his government would take stringent measures to streamline the administration, have financial discipline, check corruption and take action against insurgency. To a question on ministry formation, Koijam, who was sworn-in on February 15 as the 24th Chief Minister, said we are ourselves concerned over the financial problems and would like to have a very compact and small ministry. However, idealism and real politic has to find a meeting ground, he said, adding that since his was a coalition ministry, all major parties would have to be represented. The Cabinet formation would be held in two phases, he added. The Chief Minister said the state Assembly would meet by middle of March to pass the vote-on-account. He said his ministry would be formed within a few days. I am going back tomorrow, may be day after it should be formed. It will be a model ministry.