IMPHAL, April 15: The state Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh left Imphal today to attend the internal security conference convened by the Union Home Ministry at New Delhi tomorrow.
The CM was accompanied by his wife MLA Landhoni Devi. The state Home Minister Gaikhangam and Director General of Police Ratnakar Baral are already stationed at New Delhi. Special Secretary (home) Clay Khongsai will also be attending a meeting at MHA from April 16 to 18.
The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will open the Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram will deliver the opening address.
The meeting will review internal security situation in the country and police reforms.
The conference is also expected to focus on new initiatives, particularly strengthening of counter terrorism capabilities and intelligence apparatus, Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS), issues related to Left Wing Extremism, border management, coastal security and other centre-state issues.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Manipur Assembly Th Lokeshwar Singh and Congress MLAs M Prithiviraj Singh and Fazur Rahman also left for New Delhi on separate flights in the afternoon.
According to sources, the Chief Minister and Home Minister will meet the AICC high command including President Sonia Gandhi and other central leaders on the composition of the state ministry.
Agencies add: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not attend the chief ministers meeting on internal security in the New Delhi on Monday. However, she is likely to attend the May 5 meeting on National Counter Terrorism Centre. Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik are opposed to the setting up of the NCTC, saying it was against the federal structure.
The Centre had last week heeded the demand of these leaders, with Union home minister P Chidambaram writing to them saying NCTC will be discussed at a separate meeting on May 5.
The decision will allow the April 16 meeting of chief ministers to discuss internal security and capacity-building of the security establishment.
However, Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa will attend the meet. Jayalalithaa is scheduled to leave on the morning of April 16 and return the same day, a government release said on Sunday.