MANIPUR Chief Minister Ibobi Singh is spending sleepless nights these days as by the first week of October, he will have to reshuffle his 12 man Council of Ministers. The task is not easy as there more aspirants that the Chief Minister can accommodate. The reshuffle has been necessitated following the appointment of Power Minister Gaikhangam as the president of the MPCC). Newly appointed MPCC president has stated that he will step down from the Council of Ministers in accordance with the Congress principle of one man, one post. The task becomes more difficult as MLAs who were dropped earlier when the Ministry down sizing was took place, are now desperate to make a comeback.

Amidst confusions, in all likelihood Assembly Speaker Haokip may be inducted as a Cabinet Minister. To make the matter worse, 22 Congress MLAs are of the opinion that it will be fair to drop all the other Ministers, barring the Chief Minister, and rope in new faces for the Council of Ministers. As the D-day draws nearer, charges of corruption are being leveled against some ministers by their political opponents in an effort to corner them. With the date of the reshuffle drawing near with each day, hectic lobbying has started amongst the Ministers to retain their place in the Council of Ministers while amongst the MLAs lobbying is on to include them in the Council of Ministers.

The Chief Minister has been hard pressed to consider the merits and demerits of each Minister and each MLA, said sources adding that the lobbying has also reached the higher echelons of the AICC. An insider disclosed that election to the 9th Assembly may be held sometime in December next year and added that with the reshuffle imminent ahead of the election, the Chief Minister may indulge in drastic changes in his cabinet to project a new image of  his government.

With an early election likely, some Congressmen, who are likely to get the party’s ticket, have started election campaign in their respective Assembly constituencies. The coming days will test the leadership ability of the Chief Minister in dealing with voices of dissent as the party cannot afford to antagonize any faction now. It may have an adverse effect on the party’s electoral fortune.

Meanwhile, former Manipur chief minister Radhabinod Koijam has joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The formal announcement was made NCP spokesperson P Tripathy. Mr  Koijam was defeated in the last assembly election and had announced that he would not be a member of any political party. Five other leaders also joined the NCP. They were M Kunjo, former   minister from Hiyanglam, Morung Makunga, former minister from Tengnoupal assembly constituency, N Binoy of Thangmeiband assembly  constituency, Kishore Thapa Kangpokpi and K Jadumani of Nambol constituency.

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