Manipur CM quits: Koijam stakes claim to form govt

IMPHAL, February 13: In fast-paced changes of political loyalty and strategy in Manipur, Chief Minister W Nipamacha Singh today resigned paving the way for a new coalition led by Samata party leader Radhabinode Koijam, who broke ranks with the Opposition and joined Singh's party, MSCP staking claim to form a new government. Koijam, whose party has 12 MLAs as against 22 of MSCP and five of Federal Party of Manipur (FPM), called on Governor Ved Prakash Marwah and submitted a list of 39 legislators supporting him in the 60-member Assembly with an effective strength of 59. The Samata Party, the MSCP, which suffered split two days back, and the FPM came together to set up new front the Manipur Democratic Alliance (MDA). The MSCP and the FPM are the two constituents of the erstwhile ruling United Legislature Front (ULF). At this meeting with Marwah, Koijam was accompanied by Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) leader and Deputy Chief Minister L Chandramani Singh and FPM leader and Forest Minister Gangmumei Kamei, MDA sources said. Koijam is likely to be sworn in as the new Chief Minister tomorrow, the sources said. In a dramatic development earlier in the day, 12 MLAs of the Samata Party defected from the Opposition camp on the pretest of having lunch and joined Nipamacha Singh's MSCP. According to an aide of Nipamacha Singh, he drove to the Governor's house at 5:15 pm, and submitted his resignation. Koijam, if invited to form the government by the governor may prove his majority by tomorrow. This is noteworthy that Manipur Assembly session has been convened tomorrow for the trial of the strength of the Nipamacha Government. In a shrewd manouevre, Nipamacha Singh thwarted the move of the UDF to topple his government by sacrificing his own seat but managed to stop his colleague the Union Minister Chouba Singh to stake claim to form the next government with the help of the BJP. Meanwhile, Manipur Speaker S Dhananjoy today declared eight MSCP members, 'expelled' by the party working president T Chaoba Singh, as unattached members, according to the Assembly Secretariat. The members were 'expelled' from the party for six years for 'anti-party activities' on February 11. The unattached MSCP members are acting Chief Minister, W Nipamacha Singh, his deputy L Chandramani Singh, besides P Achou Singh, Samued Jendai, Ksh Biren Singh, S Rajen Singh, M Kunjo Singh and L Lokhon Singh.