IMPHAL April 8: The chief minster, Okram Ibobi reshuffled his cabinet portfolios today.
Although no minister has been dropped, portfolios have been redistributed.
Among those who were made to sacrifice were ministers Nongthombam Biren and Phungzathang Tonsing.
While Biren has been made to give up Youth Affairs and Sports portfolio which will now be under the charge of DD Thaisii, Phungzathang was stripped of Tribal Development portfolio.
This portfolio will now lapse into the charge of the Chief Minister.
Biren however will continue to hold the PDS and IFCD portfolios, while Phungzathang will continue to be Power minister.
The reshuffle is the second this year.
Earlier this year another reshuffle took place on January12.
The last reshuffle saw minister Y Erabot being divested of the Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and the same being allotted to N Biren, who already had two major departments under his belt, IFCD and YAS.
DD Thaisii after being removed from the plum portfolio of Tribal Development, District Councils (Hills) and Veterinary and Animal Husbandry to Education, Science and Technology had tendered his resignation to MPCC president Gaikhangam on January 30 as Thaisii was dissatisfied being minister of Education and Science & Technology then.
Thaisii did not hide the fact that he wanted to retain Tribal Development Department claiming he had done nothing to hurt the image of the SPF government as minister in charge of the Tribal Development Department.
The resignation came at a time when the UNC was pressing Naga MLAs to resign by January 31,2011 and Thaisii is the only Naga MLA in the SPF ministry.
After Thaissi`™s threat to resign, word did the round in the political circle that the CM was trying to appease Thaisii. Today`™s reshuffle observers said is a vindication of the chief minister`™s appeasement policy.
The reshuffle did not touch any other cabinet ministers.
Th Debendra still holds portfolio of Revenue, Forest and Environment,Law and Legislative Affairs and GAD. Minister Ph Parijat with Agriculture, CADA and Labor and Employment. TN Haokip with PHED,IPR and Tourism, Y Irabot with Commerce and Industries,Sericulture and Printing and Stationary. N Loken Singh with Minor irrigation, Socail Welfare and Veteniary and Animal Husbandary. L Jayanta Kumar with Health and Family Welfare and Co-operation. K Ranjit with Works and Transport. Alauddin Khan with RD and PR, MOBC and Fisheries.
DD Thaisii who had earlier refused to accept the Education portfolio and was taken in charge by the CM then has been allocated the Education and additional charge of YAS portfolio which has been removed from N Biren. Minister Phungzathang Tonsing still holds Power,Science and Technology and Horticulture and Soil Conservation after being divested of the TD and Hills portfolio.
N Biren still holds the coveted portfolio of IFCD and CAF .
Chief Minister O Ibobi continues to remain as the DP,Home, Finance,MAHUD and the new portfolio of TD and Hills and any other departments not allocated to other Ministers.