Politics / Manipur

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...

IMPHAL, February 12: The political scenario in Manipur continues to be fluid as an intense struggle over leadership in the Opposition camp prevented the formation of a viable alternative government after the W. Nipamacha Singh-led United Front of Manipur ministry was reduced to a minority. Eight Manipur State Congress Party legislators walked out of the UFM to join hands with the Opposition Manipur Democratic Front yesterday. Speaker Sapam Dhananjoy has summoned the winter session from Wednesday to take up the no-confidence motion against the Nipamacha Singh ministry. The session was adjourned...

IMPHAL, February 12: Deputy Chief Minister L Chandramani Singh today termed the charges levelled by the Union Minister of State for Food Processing T Chaoba against the Nipamacha Ministry as baseless. Chaoba yesterday charged Nipamacha with failure to maintain the law and order and financial mismanagement. He also accused the MSCP legislature wing of taking a decision to pull out of the NDA. Talking to reporters today the Deputy Chief Minister dismissed the allegations as an attempt to tarnish the image of the Nipamacha Government. He denied taking any decision by the legislature wing to pull...

IMPHAL, February 12: Six ministers and deputy chairman (planning) who are among the eight MLAs who deserted the Ruling camp and walked into the Opposition camp on Saturday night, have submitted their resignation from their respective posts to the Governor Ved Marwah, the working president of the major ruling alliance partner Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP), T Chaoba announced tonight during a press conference. The eight legislators is only an MLA holding no ministerial portfolio. Chaoba, who is also the Union minister of state for food processing, announced during the press conference held...

IMPHAL, February 11: The 11-month-old United Front of Manipur (UFM) government led by Nipamacha Singh was reduced to a minority today after eight Manipur State Congress party (MSCP) legislators defected to the Opposition camp. The UFM now has only 27 legislators in the 60-member Manipur House. In a series of dramatic events today, the MSCP's central executive meeting chaired by working president Thounaoujam Chaoba Singh expelled Chief Minister Nipamacha Singh, deputy Chief Minister L. Chandramani Singh and five other Cabinet ministers for six years from the primary membership of the party for...

IMPHAL, February 11: Union minister T Chaoba Singh and eight MSCP MLAs today joined the Opposition camp in a major twist to the three-month-long political crisis dogging Manipur since mid-November. The move has effectively reduced the 11-month-old Nipamacha Singh-led MSCP-FPM coalition ministry into a minority one with only 27 members out of the 59-member Manipur Assembly. The death of Samata Party MLA W Basanta had recently reduced the 60-member Assembly to 59. Chaoba Singh, working president of the ruling MSCP also expelled MSCP president, W Nipamacha along with six other ministers...

IMPHAL, February 11: The MSCP working president, and Union minister of State for Food Processing, T Chaoba Singh, taking a hand openly for the first time in the political imbroglio in the state, announced today that Chief Minister W Nipamacha and his deputy, L Chandrmani and six other have been expelled from the primary membership of the Ruling Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) for six years by the party central executive committee (CEC). The announcement at a press meet today came in the wake of eight MSCP MLAs deserting Nipamacha and joining the Opposition camp yesterday. Thounaojam Chaoba...

IMPHAL, February 11: Notwithstanding the desertion by eight MLAs of the Ruling Manipur State Congress Party, MSCP to the Opposition camp yesterday, Chief Minister and party president Wahengbam Nipamacha stoutly denied today that there has been any split in the party. It may be recalled that eight MLAs left the CM's camp and walked into the Opposition camp at the Speaker's bungalow yesterday. Another legislator, K Tomba, MoS IFCD, had also left the CM's camp but he did not join the Opposition ranks, and has since returned to the CM's fold, according to a reliable source. Addressing mediapersons...

IMPHAL, February 10: The ruling Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) has threatened to withdraw from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. Sources said MSCP's legislature wing decided to pull out of the NDA last night in protest against remarks made by BJP national secretary (in-charge of Manipur) P.B. Acharya and Samata Party national president Jaya Jaitley favouring President's rule in the state. The legislature wing's decision is yet to be referred to the party level. The formal decision of pulling out from the NDA has to be taken by the party. Loyalists of Chief Minister...

IMPHAL, February 10: The citadel of the dominant partner of ruling United Front coalition government, the Manipur State Congress Party, MSCP, has begun to crumble. After holding out for nearly three months in its stronghold at the Chief Minister, W Nipamacha's official bungalow, and a camp that was rumoured to be in the nature of a concentration camp, the dykes suddenly seem to have given away, and eight of the campers have escaped and walked into the Opposition Manipur Democratic Front, MDF, camp being held at the Speaker, S Dhananjoy's bungalow. The eight; three cabinet ministers, one...