IMPHAL: The race for the top post among the three Congress leaders in Manipur came to an end Sunday with the incumbent O Ibobi Singh believed to have been given the chance again for another term by the party’s ‘high command’.
On Sunday morning Ibobi Singh along with few newly elected MLAs came back to Imphal from New Delhi after having met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, AICC chief Sonia Gandhi and AICC political secretary Ahmed Patel.
Highly placed sources informed Newmai News Network that O Ibobi Singh is likely to become the Congress Legislure Party leader (CLP). However, it is not clear when it will become official that Ibobi Singh is the CLP leader. It is believed that the Congress party is likely to announce officially in this regard either on Monday or Tuesday. And on Wednesday, the swearing-in ceremony will take place.
Sources then said Manipur is likely to have one deputy chief minister or two as a ‘consolation placement’ to those leaders who are in the race for the top post.
Gaikhangam and Y Irabot are vying for the chief ministerial post.
Mentionably, the Indian National Congress (INC) has swept the Manipur polls this time winning 42 seats in the 60-member House while the Opposition Manipur People’s Party (MPP) resulted in a Waterloo, but the polls marked the emergence of Trinamool Congress which bagged seven seats.
Polls to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly were held on January 28 last in which 279 candidates from eight different major political parties, including the Congress, BJP, Trinamool Congress, CPI, NCP, National People’s Party (NPP), MPP, Naga People’s Front (NPF) Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP), and 22 Independents and 12 from others joined the fray.
The Congress, which fought the polls under tremendous pressure, got absolute majority by sweeping 42 seats, a historic win for the national party which won 29 seats in the last elections.
The Opposition MPP, which is a regional party, could not open its account this time and the people’s verdict gave the party a big blow. MPP fielded 14 candidates, including its stalwarts O. Joy, party president Nimaichand Luwang and former MP, Th. Chaoba. O. Joy was defeated by his nearest rival L JP candidate K. Shyam in Langthabal seat. This is the lone seat won by LJP. (NNN)