Ibobi ouster campaign still on in Manipur

Imphal, Dec 31 (UNI) The Congress dissidents have decided to continue their campaign demanding the ouster of O Ibobi Singh, even though the Congress high command has not taken any decision on the issue.

The Congress dissidents were camping in New Delhi awaiting the polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh to conclude. Now, the dissidents are expecting a resolution to the two-month old Manipur crisis.

The AICC general secretary in charge of the North East and Union Minister of State at the PMO Prithiviraj Chauhan had visited Imphal to review the situation.

The Congress President Gaikhangam, who had earlier resigned from the Ibobi government, is also supporting the dissidents though he has not spoken anything against Mr Ibobi on record, sources said.

Mr Gaikhangam said it is an internal problem of the party and will be resolved soon. The dissidents said they want Mr Ibobi to be replaced as he had failed to control the law and order situation and for favouring his constituency in recruitment process.

Mr Ibobi became the Chief Minister in 2002 and took over for another term after the February 2007 election. The rebel MLAs claim the support of about 19 out of the 31 Congress MLAs in the House of 60.

The Congress President, however, had only recently stated that that there were no differences amongst the Congress legislators.

He, however, met the dissidents and discussed several matters with them.

UNI