Newmai News Network Imphal | January 24 The Manipur government is ready to take part in the proposed tripartite talks in New Delhi involving the former, Centre and United Naga Council (UNC), Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has said on Tuesday. “The government is ready to talk to UNC leaders but the schedule is yet to be fixed. I hope the date for the talks would be decided after the upcoming Republic Day,” Ibobi Singh told a press conference at the CM Secretariat here. However, the Chief Minister made it clear that either he or his deputy will participate in the meeting if the meeting is presided by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. “If the meeting is presided by the Union Home Secretary, then the Chief Secretary or the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) of Manipur will be sent to attend the tripartite talks,” he further said. He said Imphal shall be the venue for such talks but at the same time holding this proposed meeting in New Delhi does not matter to the state government. Ibobi expressed concern over the current shortage of goods supply to the state due to the road blockade and said the state government was making efforts to ensure transportation of essential commodities through Imphal-Jiribam route (NH-37) twice a week. He said that besides being a narrow highway, the NH-37 has weak bridges preventing uninterrupted flow of essential commodities to the state from Jiribam adjacent to Assam. Makru bridge and Barak bridge on NH-37 have been experiencing weak condition for quite a long time. The Manipur Chief Minister then hit back at BJP and termed as baseless the allegations levelled against his government over the current blockade by the saffron party. “The people need a serious introspection on the BJP’s claim that there would be a blockade-free Manipur if the party comes to power after the state assembly polls,” Ibobi Singh said. Manipur, which has a 60-member House, will go to polls on March 4 and 8. BJP Manipur Pradesh general secretary and lone party MLA Thongam Bishwajit Singh yesterday chided the Ibobi headed Congress government over the present blockade issue, saying the creation of seven new districts by the state government was solely responsible for the ongoing blockade.
