Nipamacha, Chaoba expel each other from MSCP

IMPHAL, February 11: Notwithstanding the desertion by eight MLAs of the Ruling Manipur State Congress Party, MSCP to the Opposition camp yesterday, Chief Minister and party president Wahengbam Nipamacha stoutly denied today that there has been any split in the party. It may be recalled that eight MLAs left the CM's camp and walked into the Opposition camp at the Speaker's bungalow yesterday. Another legislator, K Tomba, MoS IFCD, had also left the CM's camp but he did not join the Opposition ranks, and has since returned to the CM's fold, according to a reliable source. Addressing mediapersons this evening at his official residence, Chief Minister asserted that the MSCP still had the majority in the state legislative Assembly as part of the ruling combine. He insisted that there has been no formal or legal report of any split in the MSCP. The CM further declared that that the MSCP's central executive council, at a meeting attended by 21 office bearers, had yesterday resolved to expel the MSCP working president, T Chaoba Singh, vice president, administration, L Amujao, and general secretary administration, Y Mangi, from the party for six years for their anti-party activities. According to G Joykumar Sharma, vice-president of the party, out of 26 office bearers of the MSCP central executive council, only working president T Chaoba, Deven Thingujamba, general secretary, L Lait Singh, executive member, Mangaibou and I Hemochandra, executive members co-opted by the president, were absent during yesterday's meeting. He also disclosed that proceedings for the expulsion of L Amujao and Y Mangi for financial irregularities have already been taken up since long back. He said the final decision was taken yesterday after minutely discussing their anti-party activities. Deputy Chief Minister L Chandramani, who did most of the talking, added that the post of working president was not an elected one and T Chaoba was appointed by the central executive council with the consent of party president. It was highly unconstitutional on Chaoba's part to say that he would remove the party president without any executive council meeting, he added. He maintained that there has been no formal report of any minister having quit the MSCP and joined the Opposition camp. Chandrmani also made the very interesting statement that if any Ruling MLA had entered the Opposition ccamp, they may have been held by the police and forced to enter the Opposition camp. In case there is any formal split from the MSCP by any minister, he further stated, the party would put up disqualification cases against them with the Speaker. Chandrmani further said the MSCP has sent fax messages to the Prime Minister and Union defence minister George Fernandez, who is the convenor of the National Democratic Alliance, NDA, informing them of the expulsion of Union minister of state for food processing, T Chaoba. He also declared that the message makes it clear that the MSCP is still a partner of the NDA and no resolution has been taken by the MSCP to withdraw from the NDA.