SPF Ministry expanded with 6 inducted in Council of Ministers
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 27: Three months after the first batch of SPF Ministers were administered the oath of office and secrecy, six more MLAs were inducted in the Council of Ministers today putting all speculations to an end, taking the total strength of the SPF Ministry to the maximum of 12. Despite consistent lobbying at the Centre to include its RJD Legislature Wing leader Hellaluddin Khan, the RJD MLA was not included in today's oath taking ceremony.

Although CPI's Ph Parijat was among the first batch of Ministers to be inducted in the SPF Ministry, all its efforts to include one more MLA in the Council of Ministers have come to nought.

Oath taking ceremony at the Raj Bhawan even as the six chosen in the second innings preen away for a job well done

The six Congress MLAs administered the oath of office and secrecy as Cabinet Ministers today were Yumkham Erabot (Wangkhei A/C), Nameirakpam Loken (Nambol A/C), Langpoklakpam Jayentakumar (Keishamthong A/C), Kangujam Ranjit (Sugnu A/C), Nongthombam Biren (Heingang A/C) and DD Thaisii (Karong A/C).

They were administered the oath of office and secrecy during a ceremony attended by Governor Dr SS Sidhu at the Banquet Hall of the Raj Bhavan at 3 pm today.

The oath taking ceremony was attended by Chief Minister O Ibobi, Opposition leader Radhabinod Koijam, Speaker Dr S Budhichandra, other Ministers, Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing and top raking civil and police officials.

However, MPCC president Gaikhangam and some other CLP members stayed away from the ceremony.

Gaikhangam who had resigned from the SPF Ministry and some other MLAs have been camping at Delhi for some time now.

No RJD leader was also present at the oath taking ceremony.

Briefing media persons after the oath taking ceremony, Chief Minister O Ibobi said that efforts will be taken up to allot portfolios to the newly inducted Cabinet Ministers within this month.

He also hinted that there may be some changes in the portfolios currently held by Ministers who were sworn in earlier.

When asked on the absence of MPCC president Gaikhangam at the oath taking ceremony even after it was claimed that all differences between the Chief Minister and the MPCC president have been sorted out, Ibobi clarified that Gaikhangam was to attend the ceremony but he could not make it due to some problems in the flight schedule.

As for the other CLP members who did not turn up for the oath-taking ceremony, it was because of their personal problems and tight schedules, he explained.

To another query whether Yumkham Erabot was inducted in the Ministry due to pressure from the MPCC president, Ibobi claimed that there was no question of exerting pressure within the Congress party.

The Chief Minister disclosed that further consideration is required regarding induction of CPI and RJD MLAs in the Ministry.

Peeved with the alleged unfair manner of Ministry expansion, former CM and RJD State unit president Wahengbam Nipamacha remarked that it would be interesting to wait and watch what comes out of such 'too fair' a manner of enlarging Ministry under Chief Minister O Ibobi.

He observed that allotting Ministership to just one MLA out of 13 constituencies in Imphal West district while inducting 5 Ministers from 10 Assembly segments of Imphal East, two from Thoubal which have 10 A/Cs and just one Minister each to Bishnupur, Churachandpur and Senapati districts with six constituencies each is not fair.

Meanwhile, information received from Irabot Bhavan said that a meeting of the CPI will be convened soon to discuss the political development resulting from the Ministry expansion as well as the functioning of the SPF Govt.Speculations over the allotment of portfolios have started doing the round, though nothing is certain.

The Council of Ministers
1 CM O Ibobi Thoubal Thoubal AC
2 Th Debendra Imp East Jiribam AC
3 Ph Parijat Imp East Lamlai AC
4 Ph Tonsing CCpur dist CCpur AC
5 TN Haokip CCpur dist Saikot AC
6 Md Allauddin Imp East Keirao AC
7 Y Erabot Imp East Wangkhei AC
8 N Loken Bpr dist Nambol AC
9 L Jayentakr Imp West Keishamthong AC
10 K Ranjit Thoubal Sugnu AC
11 N Biren Imp East Heingang AC
12 DD Thaisii Spt dist Karong AC.

Unrepresented dists in the Ministry
District No of ACs Name of MLAs
Ukhrul Three Danny Shaiza, W Keishing, Khashim Ruivah
Tamenglong Three Gaikhangam,Khangthuanang P,Awangbou Newmei
Chandel Two MorungMakunga, Thangkhulun.