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Manipur govt quivers as speaker disqualifies four ministers, 12 MLAs

Manipur is headed for a political stand-off as Chief Minister Rishang Keishing and state assembly speaker Nipamacha Singh are engaged in a power struggle over the issue of disqualification of four ministers from the assembly.

If the ministers and 12 other ruling party MLAs are disqualified, the ruling Congress will be in a minority. At present, there are 36 Congress members, supported by two Independents, in a House of 58.

Singh told reporters on Tuesday that he would issue notices to Minister of Tourism Hagkhalian, Minister for Backwards and Tribal Development Thori and Minister of Horticulture Jonathan. He said a show cause notice would also be issued to Minister of Higher Education M Kumar Singh on November 20.

All the notices would seek to know why the ministers should not be disqualified from assembly membership under the anti-defection law.

Opposition members moved the speaker saying the 16 members, including the four ministers, had defected to the Congress and deserved to be disqualified. If action is taken, the Congress, with 20 members, will be relegated to the Opposition.

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