Ibobi challenges dissident charges

Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi has said he would resign from the Chief Minister’s post at any moment if anyone can give evidence of the corruption and other charges levelled against him.

“I will resign from CM’s post, if anyone have the evidence or proof of the charges”, he said. Responding to a question, he said, “Congress is a big family and the crisis within it, is not a new thing”.

Regarding the prevailing law and order situation in the State due to insurgency, the Chief Minister said the situation here is also not a new thing. One cannot solve it in a day or two. “If the present trend goes on, the government would do the needful within three or four months time,” he assured.

On the recent arrest of militants from the official quarters of the ruling MLAs, he clarified that an enquiry is on into the matter to find out the facts.

Denying news reports, Ibobi said that he never diverted government fund. Around 10,000 fake employees including 6,000 pensioners failed to turn up to draw their respective pay and pensions after they were detected as ‘fake’ during the course of finalization of the MGEL which meant a saving of Rs 8 crore to Rs 9 crore for the State’s coffer, he claimed.

Earlier, in a move to oust Chief Minister O Ibobi for his alleged failure to protect the lives of the common people even in the state capital rocked Congress-led Secular Progressive Front Ministry in Manipur. The internal crisis within the Congress party over the change in its leadership has come to the fore as senior-most Congress man and Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing expressed his willingness on change of leadership over and above the dissident MLAs’ move to oust Ibobi.

Rishang Keishing, the longest- serving Chief Minister of the state told a local cable TV channel, “everyone including those in the jungle knows that the situation is worsening day by day”. Centre should play a vital role in maintaining the meaning of democracy in our state, he observed.

Meanwhile, dissident MLAs who have revolted against the leadership of ruling ministry and are camping in Delhi have demanded Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh should step down insisting he (CM) ought to do so on moral ground as majority of the MLAs in the 31-member Congress Legislature Party (CLP) have openly come out against his leadership.

The dissension within the CLP over its leadership had its bearing on the meeting of the State Cabinet also which was convened on Saturday with only seven CLP members including the Chief Minister showing up for the meeting. Health Minister P Parijat was the lone Minister of the coalition partner CPI who was present at the meeting.

According to the dissident MLAs, out of the total 31 members of the CLP, 17 including two Ministers are presently camping at Delhi even as two more Cabinet Ministers have communicated their support to the campaign. They’re going to submit a letter in this regard to the AICC leadership.

Chief Minister O Ibobi along with MPCC President Gaikhangam Gangmei have also rushed to New Delhi to ease the situation. Official sources however said the State Governor and Chief Minister would be attending a meeting on federalism at Vigyan Bhavan.

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