Rishang quits Steering Committee, NCP walks out

Imphal, June 22: Demonstrating strong protests against the merger of the 11 MLAs with the Congress, Rajya Sabha MP and seasoned political figure, Rishang Keishing today resigned from the post of the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Secular Progressive Front. In another development the Nationalist Congress Party has walked out of the SPF sparking off a potential round of political upheaval in the days to come. Rishang Keishing submitted his resignation letter to the Secretary of the Steering Committee, Ph Parijat of the CPI who is also the PCS Minister. In his resignation paper submitted to Ph Parijat, Rishang Keishing skirted the main issue and merely said, "owing to my pre-occupation in Parliamentary activities and my frequent absence from the State, I am resigning from the Chairman ship of the Steering Committee, Secular Progressive Front with immediate effect." The Rajya Sabha MP also did not forget to thank the members of the Steering Committee in his resignation letter submitted to Ph Parijat, "I thank you and all members of the Committee for the co-operation extended to me during my Chairmanship. Giving another blow to the SPF was the decision of the NCP to walk out of the coalition. In a written intimation to the Chairman of the PSF, the State unit president of the NCP S Tiken said that his party first decided to join the SPF according to the resolution of the SPF which stated that "The Front will not allow or entertain defection." Since this very clause has been violated by the Congress without the knowledge and consent of the other constituent partners of the SPF, the decision to walkout of the coalition was taken, said S Tiken. The party high command has given the go ahead signal to the State unit to walk out of the coalition further mentioned the written intimation. This latest development has not only affected the SPF but diametrically opposing viewpoints have also emerged within the State unit Congress particularly between Chief Minister O Ibobi and Rajya Sabha MP Rishang. O Ibobi is also the president of the MPCC (I). As things stand today, the en-bloc merger proposal of the MSCP along with its president Th Chaoba, which is strongly favoured by Rishang Keishing appears to have been kept at the back burner. Th Chaoba is also the Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee of the SPF. A meeting of the constituent partners of the SPF was held today at the office of PCS Minister Ph Parijat today to discuss the latest development. DPP chief Kh Mani and MSCP president Th Chaoba who returned from Delhi today attended the meeting. The meeting decided to discuss the developments in the post merger period at the Steering Committee level. Meanwhile the meeting of the Political Forum of the SPF which was slated to be held today could not be held due to the prevailing political climate in the State.