3 Manipur ministers quit

IMPHAL, Oct 31 (PTI) — Three Manipur Ministers and the Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly today resigned, throwing the one-year-old United Legislature Front Ministry headed by Wahengbam Nipamachan Singh into crisis.

Horticulture and Soil Conservation Minister Ngam Thang Haokip, Sericulture Minister T N Haokip, Minister of State for Power Thangminlen Kipgen and the Deputy Speaker T T Haokip in a joint letter to the Chief Minister said they resigned from their respective posts with immediate effect.

A copy of the letter released to the press said they had taken "this drastic step" as the Chief Minister had failed to keep his promise to declare the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi (Sadar Hills) a separate district within the stipulated dateline.

Talking to reporters soon after submitting the resignation letter, Thangminlen Kipgen alleged the government had neglected the long-standing demand of the Kukis in the state for a full-fledged Sadar Hills Area (Kangpokpi) district.

Deputy Speaker T T Haokip said he had submitted a separate resignation letter to the Speaker of state Assembly, Karam Babudhon Singh who was now attending the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in New Zealand.

Haokip said he submitted the resignation letter to the seniormost officer of the Assembly in the absence of the Assembly Secretary who was accompanying the Speaker.

According to sources close to the ministers, who were prominent Kuki leaders, they had told the Chief Minister earlier that they would quit their posts if the government failed to declare Kangpokpi (Sadar Hills) a full-fledged revenue district before the festival of Kukis on November 1.

Sources said today’s state cabinet meeting also failed to take any decision on the issue and Kuki Ministers also expressed unhappiness over the report of the Cabinet Sub-committee on Formation of Kangpokpi district which, they said, sought postponement of submission of committee’s final report.

A copy of the preliminary report of the Cabinet Sub-committee made available to PTI also sought setting up of a task force for on the spot verification of villages to be included in the proposed district and which were to be excluded from the area.