The Congress high command is in some sort of indecisiveness over the political future of its veteran leader in Manipur, Rishang Keishing. An influential section of the Manipur State unit of the Congress had recently made an appeal to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to remove the former chief minister of the State from the State political scene. Mrs. Gandhi, on her part, has assured these leaders that she would take appropriate action on their demand at the proper time and after consulting the senior party functionaries.

The Congress leaders from Manipur, who wanted that Rishang Keishing should be removed from the State political scene had argued that at the present juncture the veteran Congress leader was more a liability to the party than an asset.

They pointed out as the movement of Greater Nagaland in gaining ground in Nagaland, the Manipuri people were suspicious about some of the Naga leaders in the State and Rishang Keishing is one of them. They told the party high command that the people of Manipur believe that Rishang Keishing is in league with the NSCN (IM), the underground organisation which is spearheading the Greater Nagaland movement.

This influential section of the Congress in Manipur feels that Rishang Keishing's presence in the Congress gives the opposition a chance to accuse the Congress for being soft-hearted towards the demand of Greater Nagaland. They have informed the party high command that the opposition parties have already launched a campaign that one vote to the Congress means one vote to Rishang Keishing and one vote to Rishang Keishing means one vote for Greater Nagaland. These leaders have warned the party high command that if steps are not taken at once, it would affect the electoral prospect of the party both in the ensuing Parliamentary and Assembly elections in the State. On their part, they have advised the party bosses to provide Keishing some organisational facilities at the Central level, so that the signal goes to the people that the veteran leader is not in the race of chief ministership.

The leaders also feel that the assurance given by the Congress president to the people of Manipur that territorial integrity of the State should be preserved at any cost, would have no effect on the electorate, if Rishang Keishing is not removed from the State scene.

The leaders also appealed to the party high command to allow the State unit to forge an alliance with the Manipur Peoples Party (MPP). They feel that this is the only way to combat the Manipur State Congress (MSC)-BJP alliance. But the leaders are still undecided about leaving one Parliamentary seat to its poll partner.

One being asked, whether, the remove Rishang campaign will affect the Congress, poll prospect in the hill areas or not, one of the leaders of the said group emphasised that in the last Assembly elections in the State, it became clear that the Rishang issue was no more a crucial factor in the State. In the said elections, the Congress managed six seats in the hill areas of the State, while it secured nearly twenty seats in the valley area.

But Rishang followers are not willing to buy this argument. They still claim that Rishang Keishing is the only Congress leader in the State, who can bring the party back to power. They are hopeful that the party high command will not take any decision based on the reports of known Rishang-baiters.

They strongly argue that throughout his life, Rishang Keishing has stood for nationalism in that part of the country without fearing for his life. Many a time, attempts were made on him, but by the grace of god, he was saved. They strongly refuted the charge that Keishing had any link with any underground forces. They also claim that the former chief minister of the State is clearly against division of Manipur.

On his part also Rishang Keishing has shown no signs of moving out from the State politics. He is insisting on contesting the Assembly elections, rather than the Parliamentary elections, as suggected by some neutral Congress leaders to avoid any direct confrontation between Rishang Keishing and his detractors.

The veteran Congress leader, who gave an indication after the last assembly elections that he would not contest any more elections, now, it seems, has changed his mind and wants to teach a lesson to those who had unceremoniously removed him from the post of chief ministership nearly a year and a half ago.

The Congress' electoral fortune in Manipur will largely depend on how the party high command defuses the crisis. If the Central leadership of the party can persuade both the groups to work together in the forthcoming elections, the Congress can expect good result at the hustings. But if it fails to do so, the party should be ready to receive serious setbacks in the State.

In the present situation, it is very difficult for the Congress leadership to evolve a compromise formula acceptable to both the factions. As a matter of fact, the anti-Rishang faction in the Congress in the State is so adamant it won't budge from its stand, even if the party splits on the issue.