A team of central leaders of the BJP is coming to Manipur shortly to sort out the crisis over party leadership in the State, minister T. Biswajit told reporters at the Imphal airport on his return from Delhi on Tuesday.
He denied there was a “dissident group” in the state BJP and said that the demand for a change in leadership was nothing new. He also denied that the Power and Works departments had withdrawn “huge amounts” during March to May this year while the Model Code of Conduct was in force. Chief Minister N. Biren had taken away these portfolios from Mr. Biswajit and brought them under himself. The central party panel shall find out if there was any violation of rules. He said, “It is the prerogative of a Chief Minister to allot or take away a portfolio”.
Health Minister L. Jayentakumar, who also returned to Imphal from Delhi, where he and other NPP Ministers met with NPP national president Conard Sangma, said that the four NPP Ministers may not be dropped from the ministry. Deputy Chief Minister Y. Joykumar, who is from the NPP, was stripped of the finance portfolio.
A. Newmai, president of the Naga People’s Front, which is a part of the coalition in the State, said his party had no comment on the crisis since it was an internal affair of the BJP.
Chief Minister Biren is staying back in New Delhi to meet BJP’s central leaders.
