Manipur crisis deepens: Speaker 'unable' to convene House

IMPHAL, February 6: The constitutional crisis arising out of the stand-off between the Manipur Speaker S Dhananjoy and Chief Minister, W Nipamacha Singh took another turn as the Speaker yesterday said he was unable to reconvene the Assembly session to discuss the no-confidence motion against the Chief Minister fearing trouble, reports PTI. The Speaker told PTI that he had informed the Governor Ved Marwah about his inability to reconvene the State Assembly to discuss the pending motion as there was a still "heightening tension" between the ruling Front and Opposition parties. Earlier, the Governor had asked the Speaker to reconvene the House latest by February 6 to discuss the pending motion against the ruling Front. Ruling United Legislature Front (ULF) sources said, "We are prepared to face the no-confidence motion in the House since we command a solid support of 35 members in the 60-member Assembly." As per the provisions of the rules of procedure and conduct of business of the State Assembly, no-confidence motion against any ruling ministry should be discussed within ten days after admission of the motion by the Speaker, the sources said. The Speaker admitted the motion on December 1 but postponed the matter till date.