Imphal, January 03: The Manipur Democratic Peoples' Party has merged with the Manipur State Congress Party and subsequently the central executive committee of MSCP was reconstituted.

With the reconstitution of the central executive committee, former Minister RV Mingthing has been appointed president while former president of MDPP Y Mangi was appointed working president of MSCP.

Speaking at a press meet today at Manipur Press Club, Y Mangi said that the merger of MDPP with MSCP was effected by the necessity to strengthen regional parties in view of the existing political and economic situation of the State.

At the time when a faction of MSCP merged with BJP, it was thought that the problems of Manipur could be addressed by working together with National parties.

However, serious difference in opinion emerged between National leaders and State leaders at the grass roots level on the primary issues like the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958, territorial integrity.

As such, the same faction of MSCP left BJP to set up the Manipur Democratic Peoples Party, Mangi recalled.

With the basic objective to strengthen MSCP which is a regional party, MDPP was merged with MSCP, he maintained.

The merger of the two parties would certainly help in producing a big impact in the upcoming 9th Assembly elections, opined Mangi.

RV Mingthing claimed that the merger of MDPP with MSCP was a positive step in the political development of Manipur.

The MSCP leaders also condemned the murder of Ch Akaba.