Politics / Manipur

Imphal, June 29: The CPI, a partner in the Congress-led Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government in Manipur, has demanded two cabinet berths in the new downsized ministry. The party, which placed its demand before the SPF steering committee, is “confident” of getting its way.

Moirangthem Ibohal Singh, chairman of the CPI control commission, today said, “We consider at least two berths in the new council of ministry after the downsizing is our right.”

At present, the CPI has five members in the coalition, which has a combined strength of 40, including the Speaker. At present, all five are...

Imphal, June 28: Even as the deadline for the Ministry downsizing is nearing, Chief Minister O Ibobi has come increasingly under immense pressure ahead of the impending pruning of his jumbo sized Ministry. According to information received from reliable sources, the earlier model worked out by the SPF for the downsizing may undergo some marked changes and even as these changes are being worked out, immense pressure has been mounted on the Chief Minister. As per the earlier model worked out tentatively, the downsizing was to be effected district wise with nine senior Cabinet Ministers to...

IMPHAL, June 27– All the ministers of the Congress-led ruling Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government are likely to tender resignation from their respective portfolios on July 4 to facilitate ministry downsizing. All the ministers, except Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, would resign before the formal dateline of July 7,sources said. Only the final touches like the consent of the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, remain for the July 7 downsizing process and it is unlikely there would be any hitches on submission of resignation papers by the Ministers on July 4.

The total strength of the SPF...

Imphal, June 26: With the exception of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh all the SPF Council of Minister are likely to tender resignation from their respective portfolios on July 4 to facilitate Ministry down-sizing exercise. Including the Chief Minister the Ministerial strength of the SPF Government is 33. According to New Delhi Manipur Bhavan press source the CM along with his Ministerial colleagues currently at the national capital are likely to return to Imphal on June 29 or 30. Only the final touches like consent of the All India Congress Committee President Sonia Gandhi remain for the July 7...

Imphal, June 25: Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh’s downsizing worries were today eased by his ministers, who indicated they would follow the example of their Meghalaya counterparts and resign rather than be dropped from the government. Lok Sabha member Thokchom Meinya Singh confirmed the development over phone from New Delhi. “As in Meghalaya, all ministers in the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government are likely to resign en masse. But the resignations will be accepted only after the downsizing details are finalised in New Delhi and the chief minister returns to Imphal,” he said...

NEW DELHI, June 25 – The UPA Government’s stand on maintaining territorial integrity of North-Eastern States threatens to snowball into a major controversy with the Naga organisations hardening their stand on the issue. A delegation of three prominent Naga bodies including Naga Students’ Federation, Naga Mothers’ Association and Naga Peoples Movement for Human Rights today conveyed to Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh that the issue of unification of Naga areas was non-negotiable.

“Whatever be the outcome of the peace negotiations, integration of all Naga areas will remain non-negotiable as...

Imphal, June 23: Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh and Lok Sabha member Thokchom Meinya Singh today rushed to New Delhi with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking for the list of legislators who will make up the new Secular Progressive Front (SPF) ministry.

Meinya Singh said before leaving for the capital that the AICC had devised a formula to prevent dissidence. “We hope there will be no problem during the downsizing exercise. We will urge Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister not to tolerate lobbying for ministry berths.”

The size of the 33-member...

IMPHAL, June 21 –Top officials of the Indian Army have been visiting this border State since the past couple of weeks after they occupied the so-called “liberated zone” Sajik Tampak in the southern Chandel district bordering Myanmar. Army sources here said that the top officials of the Army have been visiting the State to take stock of the ongoing situation in this insurgency -prone region.

Sajik Tampak, more than 100 km south of Imphal, located in a hilly terrain of southern Chandel district of Manipur had been the stronghold of major underground outfits like Revolutionary People’s Front...

IMPHAL, June 21– The budget session of the Manipur State Legislative Assembly concluded this afternoon after passing of the Manipur Appropriation Bill 2004. The eighth session of the Manipur Legislation Assembly which commenced from June 14 was earlier scheduled to end on July 5 with fifteen sittings as per Business Advisory Committee decision. However due to the boycott stand of the Opposition, the session had to be proponed.

The 20-member Opposition in the House have been boycotting the session which was chaired by Speaker T N Haokip. Opposition said, they would not be able to attend...

Imphal, June 18: With the deadline for the ministry down sizing nearing (July 7), internal squabbling and shoving for a piece of the pie has begun to rock the boat of the Congress led SPF Government. To discuss strategies to effect the downsizing with the minimum damage, a meeting of the senior Congress leaders was held at the Chief Minister's bungalow today. On the other hand the SPF has taken up all the necessary measures to neutralize the game plan of the Opposition on June 21, the last date for the current Assembly session, informed Law and Legislative Affairs Minister L Nandakumar...