Newmai News Network
IMPHAL | October 1
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Tuesday stated there is no possibility of more Congress MLAs joining the ruling BJP.
The MPCC was reacting to a recent statement of state BJP leader and chief minister N Biren Singh who had, on September 25 last, hinted of some more Congress MLAs joining the saffron fold. The chief minister had further said that state BJP leadership was awaiting a green signal from the Central leaders of the party to allow the Congress MLA joining the BJP.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan, MPCC president, Gaikhangam said that the statement of the chief minister was baseless, while asserting that the MLAs of the Congress party are working unitedly to strengthen the party. The MPCC president termed the ruling BJP in Manipur as a “divided house” and alleged that the recent statement of the chief minister was nothing but to cover up the "crisis" within the BJP in Manipur.
Gaikhangam then expressed apprehension of Manipur coming under President's Rule if the in-fighting over leadership within the BJP, the party leading the coalition government in the state, remains unresolved.
"There is even a possibility of mid-term poll in the state as a result of the internal crisis in the BJP", he said and added that the Congress party is ready to face any eventuality in the wake of prevailing power tussle.
Besides closely monitoring the development within the ruling BJP party, the Congress is also serving the people with its best level and conveying party’s stand in the issues concerning the state coming up from time to time, the MPCC chief said. "Despite knowing the fact, the chief minister was talking about breaking down of the Congress," he added.
“It is nothing but to divert the minds of the people from the leadership issue he (chief minister) is facing within his party,” he alleged.
Gaikhangam claimed that the Congress is a responsible party that ruled the state for three consecutive terms successfully and added that its legislators are working hard at the ground level to secure full majority in the next Assembly elections to serve the people again.
The press conference was attended by most of the Congress MLAs including the former chief minister and Opposition leader, Okram Ibobi Singh.
The Congress that won 28 seats in the last Assembly elections to become the single largest party in the state Assembly had lost eight of its MLAs who had defected to the BJP.
Former chief minister, O Ibobi Singh, speaking at the press conference, maintained that the Congress is a party which always works in the interest of the people. "The party had served the people under his leadership for 15 years successfully", he added.
The former chief minister then slammed the BJP while accusing the BJP led governments at the Centre as well as in Manipur of violating laws and desecrating the Constitution only to capture power.
“The BJP does not bother of violating the 10th Scheduled (Anti-defection Law) in its attempt to capture power. The party even misused the Raj Bhavan",” he alleged. "The party (BJP) has been destroyed the sanctity of democracy since it came to power at the Centre and in the state", he added.
Ibobi then urged leaders of the BJP-led coalition government to serve the people with sincerity so as to speed up the pace of development, instead of blaming the Opposition to cover up its mistakes.
