M A I N   N E W S

Manipur Cong MLAs form front

IMPHAL, Dec 28 (PTI) — In dramatic developments, the Congress Legislature Party in Manipur split with 10 of its 11 MLAs joining hands with the BJP in a new political alliance to topple the beleaguered Nipamacha Singh ministry.

The 10 rebel Congress MLAs formed a new outfit Manipur Regional Congress Party (MRCP) headed by the Radhabinod Koijam who told a press conference here that it would join hands with the BJP to topple the Nipamacha government.

The MRCP and the BJP, along with five other parties have come together under the banner of the Manipur Democratic Front (MDF) with BJP MLA Bhuvan Singh as its Chairman, Mr Singh said in a statement.

The other constituents of the MDF are the Janata Dal (Secular), the Samata Party, the Nationalist Congress Party, the Manipur People’s Party and the Progressive Federal Party of Manipur, a splinter group of Federal Party of Manipur which is a constituent of the state’s ruling United Legislature Front (ULF), Mr Bhuvan Singh said.

Interestingly, Mr Bhuvan Singh made the announcement of the new alliance at the press conference held at the residence of Manipur Assembly Speaker S. Dhananoy Singh whose standoff with Chief Minister Nipamacha Singh triggered the political turmoil in the state.