Union, state leaders to chalk out Manipur plan today

NEW DELHI, January 3: A comprehensive action plan to bring the administration of trouble torn Manipur back on the rails is likely to be finalised at a meeting between the Union home ministry and state government leaders here tomorrow, even as four major parties sought imposition of President's Rule in the state. A meeting to finalise the action plan, prepared by Chief minister W Nipamacha Singh and his ministerial colleagues, slated for today was postponed till tomorrow, home ministry sources said. The sources said the chief minister was likely to meet home minister LK Advani for the purpose. Advani had yesterday reprimanded the State government for escalating militancy and acute financial mismanagement. He had expressed his shock at the lack of control of the state government over militancy and had directed that it take immediate proactive measures to check militancy and financial mismanagement. Meanwhile, leaders of Manipur Regional Congress, NCP, Samata Party and Progressive Federal Party of Manipur today reiterated their demand for imposition of Central Rule and keeping the Assembly under suspended animation. The state should be put under President's Rule and the Assembly in suspended animation. Strong steps should be taken to check insurgency and rampant corruption, Samata Party president Jaya Jaitley said, adding that 14 MLAs were here to meet Central leaders and lobby for their demands. Jaitley, who was accompanied by leader of NCP, the newly-formed Manipur Regional Congress Party (MRCP) and Progressive Federal Party, said she was fully confident that partners in the National Democratic Alliance like TDP, Akali Dal or Trinamool Congress would not oppose imposition of Central rule in the state. Radhabinod Koijam, senior Congress leader who last week broke away from his parent party with 10 of the 11 MLAs and floated the MRCP, charged chief minister W Nipamacha Singh with having kept his ministers in captivity and having links with insurgent groups. Jaitley and her party's Manipur unit chief Basant Kumar said while salaries had not been paid for the past two months; the state government had totally lost control over the administration.