Day: March 13, 2012

IMPHAL March 13: Okram Ibobi Singh has been announced as the leader of the Congress Legislature Party for the third time and will be sworn in as the Chief Minister tomorrow.

The announcement was made by AICC general secretary in charge of Manipur, Luijinho Faleiro today at Manipur Congress Bhawan located at BT Road during a press meet which was also attended by Ibobi, Gaikhangam, T Mangibabu, Victor Keishing and Thoudam Debendra Singh.

Speaking at the conference, Faleiro said the decision to institute Ibobi Singh as the CLP leader was made by Sonia Gandhi as the state unit had place the responsibility to decide the leadership before her earlier.

“There was no level playing field, names were given and warned”, he said before adding that despite the difficulties faced by the party before the election, the public has supported the party.

He further said that some states of the Northeast are still witnessing internal strife which has prevented development.

“We need a massive peace movement to create an atmosphere for fostering further development to fulfill the aspirations of the people”.

He said that the underground organizations should come to the negotiating table with their conditions for talks with the government.

Further during the meet, Okram Ibobi who will be sworn in for the third consecutive time said that his third term will be a big challenge. “Peoples’ expectation is so high and our capability is so limited”.

He stated that his third term will focus on improvement of connectivity, power, providing safe drinking water and what has been mandated in the Congress manifesto.

Replying to queries, he further stated that the selection of the cabinet minister for his government is also under consultation with the Congress high command.

Gaikhangam, president of MPCC who earlier gave up a ministerial berth in the last SPF led government also voiced content on Ibobi Singh’s selection as the CLP leader. He mentioned that whatever the central leader’s decision is, it is final and binding for the party.

The formation of the government will be formally carried out at Raj Bhawan in the afternoon tomorrow.

To swear in the Chief Minister and the new cabinet ministers, the Governor has appointed Laishram Nandakumar Singh, one of the senior most MLA elected in the 10th Assembly Elections as the Protem speaker today.

The Governor has also appointed Okram Ibobi Singh, leader of the INC legislature party in the Tenth Manipur Legislative Assembly to be the new Chief Minister and requested him to submit the names of his new council of ministers.

Meanwhile, reliable sources said that the induction of the cabinet ministers scheduled tomorrow will only witness conferring of portfolios to four MLAs only. The ministers likely to be sworn in include Gaikhangam, Th Debendra and Phunzathang Tonsing aside from Okram Ibobi Singh. Following hectic lobby for ministerial berths, the CLP will announce its remaining eight candidates in a second swearing in ceremony after March 15 only.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/03/okram-ibobi-to-be-sworn-in-cm-for-third-time-in-a-row-today/

IMPHAL March 13: “Irom Sharmila is a sister, her life is important but we have to think for the interest of the nation”, Okram Ibobi replied to a query from media persons during the formal announcement of his CLP leadership at Congress Bhawan today.

He said that he has worked for the removal of AFSPA way back in 2004 and lifted the implementation of the act from seven assembly segments following the pressure from the public and Sharmila’s own family.

He said that the approach to lift the act from the said areas was met with stiff opposition from the centre including the home ministry. He hinted that the law and order situation in the state has not improved overall so as to pressure the centre to lift the act.

Meanwhile, the “Iron Lady” was freed from judicial custody yesterday and has remained at her support group shelter stationed at Porompat. Talking to media, she had mentioned that her stance has not been given support by the government. She added that her struggle has been sidelined by the government.

She was rearrested today from Porompat by Imphal east police in the afternoon and sent to judicial custody for the next 15 days.

She has entered the 11th year of her fast after the Malom Massacre in November 2,2000. Sharmila is on fast demanding repeal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. Under Section 309 of the IPC, the maximum punishment for trying to commit suicide is one year. Therefore, she is released once every year, only to be re-arrested for continuing the fast.

Meanwhile, to mark her birthday tomorrow, her supporters and family members have planned to light candles in all districts.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/03/sharmila-rearrest-drama-continues/

IMPHAL March 13: “Irom Sharmila is a sister, her life is important but we have to think for the interest of the nation”, Okram Ibobi replied to a query from media persons during the formal announcement of his CLP leadership at Congress Bhawan today.

He said that he has worked for the removal of AFSPA way back in 2004 and lifted the implementation of the act from seven assembly segments following the pressure from the public and Sharmila’s own family.

He said that the approach to lift the act from the said areas was met with stiff opposition from the centre including the home ministry. He hinted that the law and order situation in the state has not improved overall so as to pressure the centre to lift the act.

Meanwhile, the “Iron Lady” was freed from judicial custody yesterday and has remained at her support group shelter stationed at Porompat. Talking to media, she had mentioned that her stance has not been given support by the government. She added that her struggle has been sidelined by the government.

She was rearrested today from Porompat by Imphal east police in the afternoon and sent to judicial custody for the next 15 days.

She has entered the 11th year of her fast after the Malom Massacre in November 2,2000. Sharmila is on fast demanding repeal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. Under Section 309 of the IPC, the maximum punishment for trying to commit suicide is one year. Therefore, she is released once every year, only to be re-arrested for continuing the fast.

Meanwhile, to mark her birthday tomorrow, her supporters and family members have planned to light candles in all districts.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/03/sharmila-rearrest-drama-continues/

IMPHAL, March 13 (agencies): Okram Ibobi Singh, who steered the Congress to a third consecutive term in Manipur, in the assembly elections is credited with bringing political stability to the state as very few chief ministers here could complete their terms before him in March 2002.

Soft-spoken 63-year-old joined the party when Reishang Keishing was the chief minister and was first elected to Manipur assembly in 1984 as an independent candidate.

He was appointed chairman of the state Khadi and Village Industries Board between November 1985 to January 1988.

In 1990 he was re-elected to the assembly on a Congress ticket and became Industries minister. On his victory in the March 2002 assembly hustling, Ibobi became the chief minister followed by his second stint as chief minister in 2007.

He was born in Athokpam Makha Leikai, an interior village in Thoubal district, on July 19, 1948 to Okram Angoubi and Lukamani Devi. He is an Arts graduate from a local college.

His wife Landhoni Devi is a newly-elected Congress MLA. She was a small time government contractor before becoming a social worker. They have a son and two daughters.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/03/cm-in-waiting-okram-ibobi/

NEW DELHI, March 13 (agencies): Mamata Banerjee`s Trinamool Congress, never before a force to reckon with in Manipur, has won seven seats in the recent assembly elections, overtaking established political forces like the Manipur People`s Party.

However, if Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, re-elected for an unprecedented third consecutive term, is not successful in tackling the woes of the hard-working Manipuris, the state may abandon the Congress, says Nitin Gokhale.

In the hype and hoopla over the Uttar Pradesh election results, the electoral outcome in Manipur, that tiny, beautiful state in the north-east, remained at best a footnote to the grandly-mounted but often vacuous television studio discussions.

But if, in the gloom and doom of losing UP, Punjab and Goa, the Congress had one piece of good news, it was from Manipur.

For the first time in over a quarter century or more, a single party — the Congress in this case — has won an absolute majority in the 60-member state assembly.

Okram Ibobi Singh, a man with no apparent charisma, has delivered the state to the Congress for third time in a row — a la Tarun Gogoi in neighbouring Assam.

In fact, if you cast your eye across the map of India, except for Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala (where it rules by the skin of its teeth), the Congress has more governments in the north-east — Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Meghalaya.

So what accounts for Ibobi Singh`s uninterrupted stint in Manipur despite the lack of spectacular achievements and rampant corruption?

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/03/manipur-a-victory-with-a-warning/

NEW DELHI, March 13 (agencies): Mamata Banerjee`s Trinamool Congress, never before a force to reckon with in Manipur, has won seven seats in the recent assembly elections, overtaking established political forces like the Manipur People`s Party.

However, if Chief Minister Ibobi Singh, re-elected for an unprecedented third consecutive term, is not successful in tackling the woes of the hard-working Manipuris, the state may abandon the Congress, says Nitin Gokhale.

In the hype and hoopla over the Uttar Pradesh election results, the electoral outcome in Manipur, that tiny, beautiful state in the north-east, remained at best a footnote to the grandly-mounted but often vacuous television studio discussions.

But if, in the gloom and doom of losing UP, Punjab and Goa, the Congress had one piece of good news, it was from Manipur.

For the first time in over a quarter century or more, a single party — the Congress in this case — has won an absolute majority in the 60-member state assembly.

Okram Ibobi Singh, a man with no apparent charisma, has delivered the state to the Congress for third time in a row — a la Tarun Gogoi in neighbouring Assam.

In fact, if you cast your eye across the map of India, except for Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala (where it rules by the skin of its teeth), the Congress has more governments in the north-east — Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Meghalaya.

So what accounts for Ibobi Singh`s uninterrupted stint in Manipur despite the lack of spectacular achievements and rampant corruption?

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2012/03/manipur-a-victory-with-a-warning/