Imphal, November 08: With the rebel Congress MLAs not throwing in the towel and in fact intensifying their campaign to oust O Ibobi by appointing Kakching AC MLA Y Surchandra as its spokesman at Delhi today, an open free for all was averted at the Congress Bhawan between Mahila members of the party thanks to the timely invention of some Ministers.

Significantly, Y Surchandra is from Thoubal district and out of the seven MLAs from this district, four are in the rebel camps, namely M Oken of Heirok AC, M Hemanta of Wangjing Tentha AC, K Meghachandra of Wangkhem AC.

Only K Ranjit of Sugnu AC and O Landhoni, the CM's wife, of Khangabok AC are with the Chief Minister.

Even as tension ran high at Congress Bhawan today, the dissident MLAs at Delhi met the North East in charge, Prithiviraj Chauhan to demonstrate their strength.

Newly appointed spokesman, Y Surchandra gave a detailed account of the reasons for their revolt against the Chief Minister.

With the rebel camp led by MPCC (I) president Gaikhangam and the other led by the Chief Minister refusing to budge from their respective stand, tension is running high at Congress Bhawan, with the members sharply divided into a pro-Ibobi group and pro-rebel group.

A large number of Mahila Congress members, from either side today descended on Congress Bhawan but fortunately matter was brought under control with the intervention of some Ministers today.

Speaking to reporters, some of the Mahila members informed that they had come to Congress Bhawan to discuss the growing rift between the rebel MLAs and the CM's men.

A senior Mahila leader on the other hand maintained that they had come to Congress Bhawan in connection with the furore raised over the appointment of Angawadi workers under the Social Welfare Department.

On the other hand some Mahila members asserted that they had joined the Congress as they are keen to follow politics and not to seek any favour from the party.

Though there was no open confrontation between the Mahila members, it was evident that there is a sharp divide between them with groupism besetting the Congress members.

With news spreading of a likely show down between the Mahila members doing the round a number of Congress Ministers arrived to pacify the agitated members.

Among the Ministers who arrived at Congress Bhawan to thwart any unwanted confrontation were IFCD Minister N Biren, PHED Minister TN Haokip, Works Minister K Ranjit, Rural Development Minister Md Allauddin and Chairman of Pollution Control Board E Dwijamani.

The Ministers had a closed door meeting with leaders of the frontal organisations of the Congress party as well as leaders of different Cells to discuss the situation.

The Congress office bearers who attended the meeting included, vice presidents T Mangibabu, K Mirabai and general secretary Vidyapati Senjam.

After the meeting, the vice chairman of the media cell of the Congress L Baldev Sharma issued a statement to the press.

Referring to the November 6 meeting of the Congress workers, the statement said that during the meeting, the Congress workers decided to urge the Chief Minister to look into the welfare of the party workers.

The November 6 meeting had no connection with the present political situation, wherein dissident MLAs have demanded a change of leadership, asserted Baldev Sharma in the statement.

The meeting of the Congress workers was the second such meeting in recent times, said the statement and added that the first meeting was held at Hotel Imphal.

The meetings only decided to press for the welfare of the Congress workers and had nothing to do with the present internal rift within the CLP, it added.

Meanwhile giving more teeth to the campaign to oust Ibobi from the chair of the Chief Minister the dissident MLAs have appointed Kakching AC MLA Y Surchandra as its spokesman today.

To press home their demand, the dissident MLAs presented their strength before the NE in charge, Chauhan.

Speaking to The Sangai Express from Delhi today, a rebel MLA said that they are set to meet Sonia Gandhi, the Prime Minister and other leaders of the AICC soon.

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