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Journalism of Courage
IMPHAL, November 27: The Manipur Chief Minister Rishang Keishing who is now now facing the threat of a possible ouster by his partymen today air-dashed to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister I K Gujral and Congress president Sitaram Kesri.
The beleaguered Chief Minister, before flying to New Delhi, had a closed door meeting with the State Governor O N Srivastava at Raj Bhawan earlier in the day. The details of the meet were, however not disclosed.
He is expected to meet the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta and Sitaram Kesri this evening and report to them the latest political situation in his state.
Manipur Speaker W Nipamacha Singh, heading the revolt against the Chief Minister, today demanded his resignation saying he no longer enjoyed leadership of the Congress Legislature Party.
Singh told media persons that he had the support of 22 of the 34 congress legislators as the Congress Legislature Party leader besides the backing of 20 opposition MLAs in the 60 member house to head a Congress-led coalition Government in the state.
In another development, N Nipamacha recently served show cause notices to three ministers of Keishing as to why they should not be disqualified under the anti-defection law. The Speaker served the notices on November 19 to horticulture minister Jonathan, Rural Development Minister Thori and State Tourism Minister Hangkhalian on a complaint of the Opposition Manipur Peoples’ Party legislators. The speaker asked them to reply in seven days.
Congress had 22 legislators in the Assembly after the election. But sixteen more legislators from different political parties joined the national party and brought the strength of Congress to thirty-eight. Of the thirty-eight legislators four were suspended by the party.
The Chief Minister refuted an allegation by the Speaker saying Chief Minister had not submitted a detailed report on the Churachandpur ethnic clashes now raging.
