Ministry reshuffle likely in August last week
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 20 2014:
The much awaited reshuffle of the incumbent Council of Ministers is most likely to be effected by the last week of the current month.
According to a well placed source, four or five of the incumbent Ministers may be replaced by new ones after August 25.In the meantime, AICC is likely to hold a high level meeting at Delhi on August 21 and 22, and take a final decision on the much anticipated ministry reshuffle.
On account of the mounting pressure, the number of Ministers expected to be replaced has risen to four/five from the earlier calculation of three or four.
The AICC meeting which may be held for two days or on a single day would be attended by AICC president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi, general secretary and Manipur in-charge Luizinho Falerio, Chief Minister O Ibobi and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam.
Notably, scores of Congress MLAs have been demanding replacement of the 10 incumbent Ministers as well as the Speaker.
Who and who would be replaced and who would substitute them has not been decided as of now.
It is the MLAs elected on Congress tickets who have been demanding Ministry reshuffle but the five MLAs who joined Congress after being elected on tickets of other political parties are not part of the dissenting group.
Incidentally, Congress has now 47 MLAs including five MSCP MLAs who merged into Congress party.
Ministers being targeted by the dissident group include Forest and Environment Minister Th Debendra, Health Minister Phungzathang Tonsing, Industries Minister Govindas Konthoujam, IFC Minister Ngamthang Haokip, PHE Minister I Hemochandra, Education Minister M Okendro, Rural Development Minister Francis Ngajokpa, Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar, Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai and Agriculture Minister Md Nasir.
The MLAs are also demanding replacement of Speaker Th Lokeshwar.
Although it is not yet clear which Ministers would be replaced, ministry reshuffle may be done taking into consideration presence or absence of Ministers in different districts and sub-divisions.
With Th Debendra representing Jiribam sub-division of Imphal East district, another MLA from other parts of the same district may be inducted into the Council of Ministers.
Likewise, one MLA from Kakching sub-division of Thoubal district may be given Ministerial berth.
Bishnupur district may also get a new Ministerial berth.
Given the fact that Ukhrul is unrepresented in the Council of Ministers, one of the MLAs elected from the district may be given a Ministerial berth, informed the source.
Whereas the MLAs assured that they would not raise any objection when the Chief Minister chooses his new Council of Ministers in place of the existing one, the incumbent Ministers demanded induction of MLAs who have not ever held the posts of Ministers.
Out of the three Ministerial berths currently held by MLAs elected from Imphal West district, one would definitely remain in the district.
I Hemochandra, Dr Kh Ratankumar and AK Mirabai are the three Ministers representing Imphal West district.
As Chief Minister O Ibobi has no intention to induct his wife O Landhoni into the Council of Ministers, the only other woman MLA AK Mirabai has not much to worry about.
There is a strong suspicion that the lone ministerial berth given to Muslim MLAs, out of three elected, may go to Imphal East as the incumbent Muslim Minister belongs to Thoubal district which is represented by the Chief Minister himself.
Whereas Senapati district has two Ministers, Ukhrul district has none.
Given these facts, one of the ministerial berths may be removed from Senapati and given to Ukhrul district.
Although Bishnupur district has only one Minister, speculations are rife that the incumbent Minister would be replaced but all these speculations can be settled only after the AICC's scheduled meeting, added the source.
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