After Assam, dissidence has hit the ruling Congress in Manipur. Twenty-seven of the 47 Congress MlAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly have been demanding a ‘complete reshuffle’ of the Ministry, thereby, causing dissidence in the party, which has been in power in Manipur since 2002.
The dissident activities forced Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and his deputy Gaikhangam to rush to Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the matter with the party leadership.
“This is not dissidence. We are not demanding a leadership change. We are only seeking a complete reshuffle of the Ministry. The existing Ministers have failed to initiate development activities and we do not want that to continue,” said one of the Congress legislators on condition of anonymity.
The Senior MlA also revealed that the group had also been demanding the appointment of a new face as the Pradesh Congress president saying it was long overdue. Gaikhangam has been serving in the post since 2005.
The disgruntled MlAs met three-time Chief Minister Ibobi on Monday to place their demands. They reminded him of his earlier assurance that a section of those left out during formation of his Ministry would be accommodated in due course.
“We are only seeking what he had committed to us. You cannot deprive a section to favour another. We are hopeful that the party high command would soon resolve the crisis,” the MlA said.
“We will be forced to chalk out our next course of action if our grievances are not addressed,” he warned. However, he did not reveal what their next course of action would be.
State Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, however, claimed that the Congress in Manipur is united as ever. “There is no threat to the Government. The Chief Minister is heading a very stable Government,” he said.