IMPHAL, April 11: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is likely to replace at least four of his ministers in a move to please the dissident MLAs in the party tomorrow.
However, a question remains as to the CM can appease the dissident group with tomorrow’s likely reshuffle.
Reliable source from the dissident camp said if any MLA from outside their group is included in tomorrow’s reshuffle, then they will be unable to accept it and it could even result in a breakaway group.
Sources said the cabinet reshuffle is likely to take place on Tuesday. The Chief Minister has already presented the Central leaders with the names of four MLAs to be inducted into the cabinet and the names of the four ministers who will be ousted to affect the reshuffle.
At the same time, Manipur Governor in charge V Shanmuganathan who was supposed to return from the national capital on April 14 will arrived tomorrow afternoon, informed the source.
The hurried return of the Governor is speculated to be related to the new development.
The CM had also met with the Governor on Sunday before the later had left Imphal for the national capital, informed the source.
It is also learnt that the Chief Minister had met with the MPCC president TN Haokip and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam this late afternoon.
Meanwhile, some dissident MLAs have raised their doubt on whether the CM will be able to meet their expectation with the reshuffle, informed the source.
A dissident MLA who doesn’t want to be named said they have received information that some names who were not part of the dissident group will feature in the reshuffle.
Meanwhile, a senior cabinet minister who believes that he will be among those ousted from cabinet has abstained from attending office today, according to the source.
It is said that the minister has even taken out all his belongings from his office chamber.
It may be mentioned that in a move to calm down the dissident MLAs, the AICC leaders had recently removed the MPCC president post from deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam and appointed sitting MLA TN Haokip as his successor.