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Nipamacha Singh resigns; new alliance in Manipur

This paves the way for Samata Party member Radhabinod Koijam to stake his claim to form the government. Koijam called on the Governor and submitted a list of legislators supporting him in the 60-member assembly with an effective strength of 59.

Earlier, in a dramatic development, Samata Party, a major constituent of the opposition front, on Tuesday joined hands with ruling front constituents Manipur State Congress Party and Federal Party of Manipur to stake claim to form a new ministry.

Samata Party spokesman Niamaichand Luwang said 38 legislators of the three parties and an independent legislator had formed the Manipur Democratic Alliance and senior Samata Party member Radhabinod Koijam was elected its leader at a meeting on Tuesday.

He said the MDA commanded a strength of 39 (MSCP 22, FPM 4, Samata Party 12 and an independent member) legislators in the 60-member Manipur assembly whose effective strength is 59 following the death of a Samata Party member.

Koijam is likely to be sworn in as the new chief minister on Wednesday, the sources said. MDA sources said most of the ULF ministers were likely to retain their posts in the new dispensation as per an understanding reached among MDA constituents.

Koijam was accompanied by MSCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister L Chandramani Singh and FPM leader and Forest Minister Gangmumei Kamei when he went to meet the Governor, MDA sources said.

While the MSCP and FPM were major partners of the United Legislature Front ministry, the opposition five-party Manipur Democratic Front was split because Samata Party, broke away from the MDF, Luwang said.

MDA sources said the meeting, attended by all the 39 MLAs, was jointly presided over by Chief Minister W Nipamacha Singh and Samata Party leader Koijam at the private residence of the latter in the Thangmeiband area in Imphal.

The national general secretary of the Samata Party, Sambhu Srivastava, was also present during the meeting, sources said.

Sources said Srivastava called on the Governor and apprised him of the latest political developments arising out of the formation of the MDA.

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