Imphal, October 16: A lengthy meeting presided by the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh was held today to revive the Political Party Forum of Secular progressive Front (SPF) to strengthen the coalition for launching campaigns to protect the territorial integrity of the State and foster emotional bond of the people.

The meeting held at the CM's bungalow from 8 till 11am was participated by the Council of Ministers and representatives of district, block, frontal organization of the ruling partner Congress and CPI numbering around 200.At the meeting a decision to formally revive the SPF Political Party Forum was taken.

The forum had ceased to function since the time MSCP and MNC distanced from the ruling front.

Addressing the gathering O Ibobi reasserted that the 13 NSCN (IM) members were handed over to the Ceasefire Monitoring Group officials keeping the interest of the State in mind and elaborated to the leaders and workers of both the political parties on the prevailing situation arising out of the release.

Appealing to the people to capitalize on the forthcoming Prime Minister's visit to the State and extract renewed assurance from AB Vajpayee to preserve the territorial integrity of Manipur, Ibobi also urged all organizations concerned to abstain from activities likely to have a negative impact on the important visit.

During the deliberations GAD Minister Francis Ngajokpa informed that of the arrested persons only three were actual member of the NSCN (IM) while the remaining ones were all civilians.

Taking note of the CM's appeal, members of the student, youth and women wings of the two parties, resolved to organize mass campaigns to make the people aware of the true motive of releasing the IM cadres.

Pledges were also taken by the frontal organization members to carry out the policies and assurances of the State Government pertaining to common programmes of the people.

Later in the afternoon, a similar meeting presided by former Rajya Sabha MP W Angou was convened and wherein MPCC (I) vice president T Gunadhaja was elected as chairman of a committee of the SPF Political forum.

The meeting decided to name the new committee and its members tomorrow and also nominated CPI State secretary B Sharma as vice chairman with T Mangibabu and Sotinkumar as general secretaries.