Imphal, May 21: MPCC (I) is leaving no stone unturned to induct newly elected Congress MP Dr T Meinya into the Manmohan Singh led Union Council of Ministry.

According to reports received here, MPCC (I) is doing everything within its means to ensure a ministerial berth for Dr Meinya in the Union Council of Ministers by submitting written statements to the AICC higher authorities through Chief Minister O Ibobi who is currently in New Delhi.

According to a Congress senior Cabinet Minister, chances of MP elect T Meinya's name being included in the second phase of the Council's Oath taking ceremony is very high and expressed is very high even if his name is left out in the first phase of the oath taking ceremony.

He further stated that MPCC (I) is pressurizing the Congress higher authorities for a ministerial berth in the Union Council of Ministers as MPCC (I) firmly believes that Dr T Meinya would surely mediate between the various under- ground of the State and Centre for ending the insurgency problem in the State once he becomes a Minister in the Union Council of Ministers.

Talking to The Sangai Express on the phone today, Dr T Meinya who is presently stationed at New Delhi informed that that chances of his name being included in the first phase of the oath taking is very dim but added that his name will only be included during the expansion of the Ministry's size as a Minister of State.

On being questioned as to why Rishang Keishing's name was sidelined and his name was being raised for the Ministerial berth in the Council of Ministers, Dr T Meinya indirectly answered that the decision was taken out of necessity and not for any other reasons.

Meinya also stated that the Congress leaders at the Centre would have been compelled to allot a Cabinet Minister rank to Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing had his name been raised for a Ministerial berth and this would have created a lot of inconveniences for the Congress leaders at the Centre as the number of Ministers in the Council of Minsiters have been restricted to only 75.He further stated that a small State like Manipur can only expect a Minister of State rank in the Council of Ministers as the Congress leaders have to satisfy its coalition partners by awarding important portfolios to their MPs.