Manipur Congress Submits Disqualification Petitions Against Four NPP MLAs
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Synopsis
On January 27, the Congress party in Manipur filed disqualification petitions against four NPP MLAs for supporting the BJP-led government, despite the NPP's withdrawal of support in November. The petitions were submitted to the Speaker's Tribunal by Vice-President Hareshwar Goswami, citing previous Supreme Court rulings on timely resolution.
Key Takeaways
- Congress filed petitions against four NPP MLAs.
- NPP had previously withdrawn support from BJP-led government.
- The petitions were submitted to Speaker's Tribunal.
- Supreme Court ruling may expedite the process.
- Ethnic tensions have led to boycotts in the Assembly.
Imphal, Jan 27 (NationPress) The Opposition Congress in Manipur submitted petitions for disqualification to the Speaker's Tribunal of the Assembly against four National People's Party (NPP) MLAs for their support of the BJP-led government, even after the party had retracted its backing of the saffron party in November of last year.
Hareshwar Goswami, Vice-President of Manipur Congress and a former bureaucrat, initiated four separate disqualification petitions against the NPP MLAs at the Speaker's Tribunal.
In a media interaction, Goswami's chief attorney, N. Bupenda Meitei, stated that the petitions were filed due to the four NPP MLAs' backing of the BJP-led government in the state.
"The four MLAs participated in a meeting of ruling MLAs in November.
This meeting was organized by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, even though NPP National President Conrad K. Sangma and his party had already withdrawn their support for the BJP government in Manipur," Meitei, who is also a lawyer in the Manipur High Court, added.
Referencing the Meghachandra case from the Supreme Court, which mandates that pending disqualification petitions be resolved within three months of filing, he expressed optimism that the Speaker would handle the disqualification petitions promptly.
The four NPP MLAs mentioned are Mayanglambam Rameshwar Singh, Thongam Shanti Singh, Irengbam Nalini Devi, and Janghemlung Panmei.
On November 17 of the previous year, the NPP, led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Sangma, had withdrawn its support for the BJP-led government in Manipur, citing that the CM Biren Singh-led government had "completely failed to address the crisis and restore normalcy" in the violence-affected state.
Despite the NPP's withdrawal, the Chief Minister Biren Singh's government remains stable, backed by 37 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly, along with five MLAs from the Naga People's Front (NPF) and three Independents.
The NPP's N. Kayisii, who was also the party’s President in Manipur, passed away on January 18 after a long illness, leaving the party with six legislators currently in the Assembly.
Following the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur on May 3, 2023, ten tribal MLAs, including seven from the BJP and two from the Kuki People's Alliance, have been boycotting Assembly sessions, demanding a separate administration or Union Territory for the tribal population in the state.
Among the ten tribal MLAs, two serve as Ministers -- Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen (the sole female Minister) – and they are currently avoiding the state capital due to security concerns and are not attending Cabinet meetings.
The ruling BJP and Chief Minister have yet to take any action against the party’s seven tribal MLAs.
