MSCP decides to haul Ibobi to court for breach of trust

Imphal, June 21: The AICC has formally approved the merger of the 11 MLAs with the Congress after its president Sonia Gandhi gave the go ahead signal at New Delhi today. The 11 MLAs are from the MSCP (Secular-5), NCP (Demo-cratic-3) and Samata Party (Progressive-3). A statement issued by the AICC from New Delhi today said that Chief Minister O Ibobi along with other senior members of the MPCC (I) met key functionaries of the AICC including Pranab Mukherjee and Dr Manmohan Singh and apprised them of the current political situation in Manipur and the urgent need to strengthen the hand of the coalition Government. The Congress led Govt is striving for a progressive and peaceful Manipur, said AICC. Meanwhile a PTI report from New Delhi said Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh today met senior Congress leaders Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee and apprised them about the situation in the State ruled by the party-led Secular Progressive Front which completed 100-days in office. Party president Sonia Gandhi had earlier approved the merger and admitting of 11-MLAs into the party. Congress spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters. The strength of the Congress, a major coalition partner of the ruling Secular Progressive Front, rose to 31 in the 60-member Assembly after the merger of the three parties with 11 legislators of whom seven are Cabinet Ministers and one a Minister of State, Chief Minister Ibobi Singh told reporters. "I hope the people of Manipur will welcome the step for their all-round development", the Chief Minister said. Sharma said Singh and other Front leaders sought necessary help from the Central leadership to ensure stability, security, peace and development in the State. Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh who is also State Congress president had said the merger of the 11 legislators with Congress would not affect the other constituents of the SPF. Besides the Congress (31), the SPF now comprises CPI - five MLAs, Manipur National Conference (1), Democratic Peoples Alliance and MSCP (2 each). The All Manipur District Congress Presidents' Coordinating Committee has welcomed the merger of the 11 MLAs and endorsed the action of Chief Minister O Ibobi. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Rishang Keishing said in a statement that the merger of 11 legislators with Congress may lead to a 'crisis' within Congress as some party members were opposed to it. Keishing, a Rajya Sabha member, said the merger of an entire party with another party cannot be blocked but defection should not be encouraged. MSCP legislature wing leader and Higher Education Minister Yumkham Erabot said the merger of the five MSCP MLAs by splitting the parent party amounted to 'very dirty polities'. In a statement, Erabot said the merger was done in the 'personal interests’ of the members and not in the interests of the State. Effigy of Sonia Gandhi burnt: Demonstrating their angst over the merger of 11 MLAs with the Congress after effecting splits in other political parties, the stu dents' wing of the MPP, The Students' People's Front and the MPP Youth Front today consigned to flames the effigies of AICC president Sonia Gandhi, Chief Minister O Ibobi and the 11 MLAs who defected and merged with the Congress on June 19. The effigies were consigned to flames at Statehood Square located just behind Mapal Kangjeibung this evening. Later speaking to newsmen, MPP president 0 Joy accused the Congress of plunging the State into another spell of political uncertainty by encouraging defection and 'gobbling up' smaller parties. Recalling the earlier days O Joy said no one has forgotten that the tenure of the 7th Assembly was cut short and PR imposed due to the constant party hopping indulged in by some self centred MLAs and politicians. "While Parliament was discussing the possibility of suspending the 7th Assembly and imposing PR in Manipur, senior AICC member Pranab Mukherjee had strongly criticised the constant defection and party hopping indulged in by the MLAs. He had even stated that the Congress was against any form of defection," Joy recalled accusing the Congress of indulging in double speak. The same Congress which had stated that it was against defection is today master minding defection here, Joy said. Joy reminded all that it was the late Rajiv Gandhi who introduced the Anti-Defection Bill to check defection. "However the Congress now appears intent on defeating the very aim of its late leader," the MPP president rued. Shame, cries Chaoba: President of the MSCP and Lok Sabha MP Th Chaoba while speaking to The Sangai Express from New Delhi said the defection master minded by Chief Minister O Ibobi is a clear indication that the Congress has still not learnt its lesson. The MP said that past experiences have taught all that the people of Manipur are staunchly against party hopping and defection but the Congress appears intent on plunging the State into another spell of political uncertainty. Expressing regret over the whole development, Th Chaoba said his party pulled out from the NDA so as to ensure a stable coalition Government in Manipur. Accusing the Congress of violating the MoU signed amongst the Front partners, the MP said the act of the Congress will lead to political instability. To a question Chaoba said his party is yet to take a final decision on whether to walk out of the SPF or not. "I will be arriving at Imphal tomorrow and a meeting will be held to discuss future course of action," he added. Breach of trust suit against Ibobi: In a bid to extract its pound of flesh the MSCP has decided to file a breach of trust suit against Chief Minister O Ibobi who is also the president of the MPCC (I). The suit is being planned as the Congress has violated the MoU entered amongst all the SPF partners at the time of forming the Front. This decision was taken during a meeting of the Central Executive of the MSCP held today. The Central Executive meeting was held at the Babupara residence of MP Th Chaoba today with MSCP vice president L Amujao in the chair. The meeting decided to move the court after minutely discussing the political developments since the defection of its MLAs and the subsequent merger with the Congress. The meeting also decided to expel the five MSCP MLAs who defected to the Congress for a period of six years, informed the spokesman of the party K Debabbrata while speaking to newsmen this evening. The spokesman added that since the five defectors took oath of office and secrecy as MSCP members they should be first dropped from the Council of Ministers, and then administered the oath as Congress MLAs now. This has been put forward to the Governor, he said. The Chairman of the Steering Committee of the SPF has also been urged to take appropriate action against the defectors for violating the MoU. To queries, the spokesman said that since a suit will be filed against the Chief Minister for breach of trust there is no immediate plan to withdraw from the SPF. Debabbrata further said the mass merger of the MSCP with the Congress and the defection of its MLAs are two different things. The en-bloc merger would not violate the MoU, he maintained. CPI to decide on ties today: Central Secretariat if the CPI Pramod Gogoi arrived today to discuss and decide whether the CPI should continue its ties with the SPF or not. A meeting of the State Executive of the party and the legislatures wing was held today straight after the arrival of Gogoi. A final decision on whether to continue with the SPF or walk-out of the Front will be taken today, said sources.