Merger issue still hangs on the balance in Manipur

Imphal, June 20: Even though the merger of 11 MLAs with the Congress was announced by Chief Minister O Ibobi yesterday, the All India Congress Committee is yet to take a final decision on the matter. The 11 MLAs were drawn from the MSCP (5), NCP (3) and the Samata Party (3). While MSCP and the NCP are constituent partners of the Secular Progressive Front Government, the Samata Party is with the Opposition bloc, Democratic People's Alliance. However a reliable source from New Delhi informed that the AICC has approved the merger of the 11 MLAs even though an official announcement to this effect is yet to be made. AICC president Sonia Gandhi may formally announce this at a press conference tomorrow. In another development, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing has lodged a strong protest with the AICC president Sonia Gandhi against the merger of the 11 MLAs with the Congress. Speaking to The Sangai Express today a reliable source quoting the veteran political figure said splitting the other political parties and merging their MLAs with the Congress amounts to encouraging defection. In a fax message submitted to the AICC high command, Rishang made known his stand on the issue and stressed that effecting a split within the MSCP and embracing 5 of the 7 MSCP MLAs into their fold even as negotiations are on for the en-bloc merger of the party with the Congress is wrong and should not be accepted at all. Engineering splits of the constituent partners of the Secular Progressive Front also violates clause 3 of the agreement reached between the Front partners, Rishang mentioned. The same clause, had also included the provision not to encourage defection from other parties; reminded the Rajya Sabha MP. Further quoting Rishang Keishing, the source said that the merger of the three NCP MLAs with the Congress is sure to invite the displeasure of the National Executive of the NCP. The developments here could have serious repercussions in Maharashtra and Meghalaya where the Congress and NCP are running the Government together. The unsavory developments may prove costly for the Congress in the long run; Rishang informed the AICC high command. The source further said that though the AICC has invited Rishang to New Delhi the veteran political leader asked the AICC to first take a definitive decision on the issue first. If the AICC approves the merger of the 11 MLAs with the Congress then Rishang would step down as Chairman of the Steering Committee of the SPF, the source further disclosed. This has already been conveyed to the Centre. Sources said that a team led by O Ibobi met AICC president Sonia Gandhi and AICC members Pranab Mukherjee and Ambika Soni today. A final decision on the issue may come about after Mani Shankar Aiyer returns from his foreign trip, said a reliable source. The NCP and the MSCP are likely to announce their decision to walk out from the SPF tomorrow, said sources. Sources said the Central Executive Committee of the MSCP is expected to meet tomorrow at 8 am to discuss the latest development. A final decision is likely to be taken during the meeting. A fresh Steering Committee of the SPF may be constituted soon, said another source. Even in the midst of the large scale defection by the MSCP MLAs its president, Th Chaoba is still busying lobbying at New Delhi to pave the way for the en bloc merger of the MSCP with the Congress.