Politics / Manipur

GUWAHATI, February 7: The spectre of President's Rule looms large in Manipur as the constitutional crisis in the state has peaked with Chief Minister W. Nipamacha Singh and state Assembly Speaker Sapam Dhananjoy engaged in a bitter feud over supremacy. State governor Ved Marwah had recently asked the 60-member State Assembly to re-convene by February 6 to take up the no-confidence motion against the United Legislature Front government of Chief Minister Singh. Raj Bhawan sources in Imphal said that the Speaker has since informed the governor of his inability to convene the House. "The Speaker...

IMPHAL, February 6: The 36th General Conference of the Koiren Youth Organisation, Manipur, which is being held with the aim to preserve the Koiren (formerly Koireng) community, was formally inaugurated by the agriculture minister S Rajen at Longa Koireng village under Saitu constituency. The beginning of the five-day event was marked by unfurling of the KYO flag, cultural programme and games and sports. The observation will conclude on February 10 next. The KYO has been organising its general conference every year with the purpose of preserving the Koiren community's identity in the State and...

IMPHAL, February 6: A Cabinet subcommittee meeting on shifting of 17th Assam Rifles from Kangla to its new location at Mahakoireng, was held today at the Old Secretariat with the deputy Chief Minister, L Chandramani in the chair, in preparation for and to ensure that the deadline set earlier for the shifting is met. The meting was attended, among others, by power minister Govindas Konthoujam, PHED minister Ksh Biren, chief secretary Rakesh, officials of the 25th BRTF, Assam Rifles and State police. According to earlier terms of condition, a company of the 17th Assam Rifles was to be shifted to...

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...

IMPHAL, February 4: The Assembly Speaker S Dhananjoy Singh has expressed the fear that trouble might erupt again between the ruling and Opposition parties if the Assembly session is reconvened now. Informing the Governor of the apprehension, the Speaker said yesterday that tension is still building up between the ruling and Opposition parties, an informed source said. The Speaker told this reporter today that the repairing work inside the House has completed. Meanwhile, State unit BJP legislature leader and former Chief Minister RK Dorendra has stated that his party is still following the...

IMPHAL, February 3: The condition of Father Tommy Manjaly, principal of the Catholic School Canchipur, who was shot and wounded critically by some unidentified persons yesterday morning at the school premises, has improved a little. At present he is under the care of doctors of the Catholic Medical Centre, Koirengei, according to a source. The source said so far the Catholic Church leadership has not decided as to what steps they would be taking in connection with the assassination attempt on Father Manjaly. Meanwhile the staff and students of the Catholic School, Canchipur, strongly condemned...

IMPHAL, February 3: Even as the State Government started deploying police commandos in civil clothes to check extortion in all major commercial areas of the capital city, police commandos shot dead an unidentified suspected militant at Bashikhong Kongba Irong under Singjamei police station today at about 12.30 pm. According to reports, the police commandos opened fire when two youths who were on foot refused to stop and instead started running when signalled to do so. One of the youths was killed on the spot while the other managed to escape, said sources. Police sources said they may belong...

IMPHAL, February 3: An outstanding HUDCO loan of Rs. 30 crore, granted to the Planning and Development Authority (PDA) for smooth conduct of the V National Games, is now untraceable, highly placed sources said today. According to the source, the outstanding amount is neither in the account of the PDA nor in any other department in the state, leading to speculations that the amount has been misappropriated. The Rs. 30 crore HUDCO loan was sanctioned during the 1998-1999 to the PDA for smooth conduct of the V National Games, the source said. The state government is now shouldering an extra...

IMPHAL, February 2: Exactly two months after the assassination of Father Sajan Jacob Chittinapilli, assistant principal of St Joseph's Parish School, Sugunu, another Catholic priest, Father Tomy Manjaly, Principal of the Catholic School, Canchipur, was shot and critically wounded by unidentified gunmen this morning at the school premises. According to sources, two persons called out Father Manjaly, 35 after morning prayers at around 9.15 on the pretext of speaking to him regarding admission of a ward to the school. He was reportedly shot in the back by one of the youths while the other was...

IMPHAL, February 2: Some bigwigs from the ruling parties in the Centre are scheduled to arrive in Imphal adding fuel to the speculation that the ongoing political tussle at home is about to take a new turn, according to a reliable source. According to the source, on Sunday (February 4), the MSCP, working president, T Chaoba, will arrive in Imphal while the Samata Party president, Jaya Jaitley and BJP national secretary, in charge of the Northeast, PB Acharya, will be landing in Imphal the next day. Although Jaya Jaitley is coming to attend the shradha ceremony of the state unit president of...