Congress moves no-trust motion against BJP-led govt in Manipur

Notice given to all 24 party MLAs, says State unit chief

August 07, 2020 12:59 pm | Updated 01:46 pm IST - IMPHAL

Manipur Chief Mnister Biren Singh.

Manipur Chief Mnister Biren Singh.

The decks have been cleared for a no-confidence motion against the BJP-led government headed by N. Biren during the one-day Manipur Assembly session on August 10 .

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Moirangthem Okendra said that a motion in this regard had been submitted.

Also Read | Manipur CM Biren Singh says political problem in State will settle down soon

Govindas Konthoujam, chief whip of the MPCC, said, “A three-line directive had already been issued asking the Congress MLAs to be present in the Assembly from the beginning to the end of the session. The notice was given to all the 24 Congress MLAs”. The whip was issued on July 27.

In the March 2017 Assembly polls, the ruling Congress had won 28 seats, while the BJP bagged 21 seats, which is the highest number for the party in Manipur. CLP leader and former Chief Minister Ibobi is still grumbling against the way the BJP was given a chance to form an alternative Ministry by sidelining the Congress, which turned out to be the single-largest party. Due to developments related to the result, Mr. Ibobi could not parade his supporters before Governor Najma Heptulla.

The Congress has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Okram Henry and R.K. Imo, both Congress MLAs, are believed to have voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha in Manipur. A show-cause notice was served to both Mr. Henry and Mr. Imo for allegedly voting for Leishemba Sanajaoba, the BJP candidate for the lone RS seat. A grateful Chief Minister took both of them to New Delhi. However, it is not known who they met.

There have been so many permutations and combinations that there has been confusion. T. Shyamkumar, who won on Congress ticket, “joined” the BJP even before he was sworn in as a member of the Assembly. He became Forest Minister. Three BJP MLAs had tendered their resignations. Speaker Y. Khemchand accepted the resignations. Some other MLAs are facing disqualifications in the Speaker’s tribunal.

Also Read | Physically and mentally tortured and forced to quit BJP by two Congress MLAs, says ex-Manipur MLA Soibam Subhaschandra

Mr. Ibobi claims there are 24 Congress MLAs.

On the other hand, Works Minister T. Bishwajit issued a whip to the party MLAs on July 29 saying all BJP MLAs except Speaker Khemchand should be present in the Assembly from 11 a.m. till the session adjourned.

Now, the BJP has 18 MLAs after slimming down by disqualifying one Cabinet Minister and accepting the resignations of three other MLAs. However, Mr. Biren and some other BJP leaders feel that as the coalition partners will vote for the BJP, there will be no problem. All the MLAs of the coalition parties, that is, one MLA of the Lok Jana Shakti, four MLAs of the Naga People’s Front, four of the National People’s Party, one of the TMC and one Independent will vote for the BJP-led ministry, some BJP leaders said. Since there is a clear-cut figure of 29 MLAs, Mr. Biren will win the no-confidence motion.

It has become increasingly clear that certain Congress MLAs may not vote for the motion. For a long time, trouble has been brewing in the Congress due to demands for young blood. It is after listening to the growing demand that Okendro was made the MPCC president after elbowing out the old-timers, party sources said.

Also Read | Manipur Cabinet extends curfew

Though the MPCC has published the list of the CLP members along with their photographs in major newspapers, there is no guarantee that the 24 Congress MLAs will support the no-confidence motion. On the other hand, Mr. Biren and the BJP national leaders had made a quick-fix solution to the “internal and family differences” and all Ministers who had extended support to the Congress are back again.

Congress spokesperson K. Joykishan said, “In their scramble for ministerial berths, some ruling party MLAs had dragged the Congress in the political mire and it is shameful.”

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