IMPHAL, April 1: Outgoing president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee Gaikhangam who was replaced by TN Haokip following demands raised by dissident MLAs of the party will hand over charge to the newly appointed president tomorrow, according to sources.
It is also said that once the charge is formally handed over, the newly appointed president will fly off to the national capital and meet AICC leaders including Sonia Gandhi to discuss the affairs of the State.
Sources also said that during the meeting, TN Haokip will try to bring a tangible resolution to the dissident group’s demand for a cabinet reshuffle.
According to sources from the Congress Bhawan, the formal handing over of charge will be conducted tomorrow at 9am in the presence of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
Although the CM will attend the function, it is likely that not all the ministers, who the dissident MLAs are demanding to be replaced, will attend, informed sources close to the Congress Bhawan. It is also understandable that some important office bearers during the deputy CM’s tenure as the party president will also skip the function.
Sources said even before the newly appointed president has been given the charge, certain office bearers of the party including some general secretaries have already taken down their nameplates on their own.
The sources continued that efforts are in place to give plum party posts to those dissident MLAs who are quite unlikely to get any ministerial berth in the cabinet reshuffle. Under this endeavour, it is likely that Sagolband MLA will get the post of general secretary (Administration), sources added.
At the same time, sources also said that although the post of spokesperson was not given to any suitable individual during the time of the outgoing president, this time around efforts are on to appoint three-four MLAs as party spokespersons.
Meanwhile, all arrangements for tomorrow’s function have been made since this evening.