MLA Govindas Konthoujam, who was also the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president has already submitted his resignation letter to the Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on July 17.
TFM Desk
Manipur Congress Committee president Govindas Konthoujam is reportedly all set to join the BJP, according to sources close to BJP central party members. The former minister in the erstwhile Okram Ibobi Singh’s Congress government is likely to join the saffron party along with other rebel Congress leaders.
A former Minister, Govindas Konthoujam is 6-time MLA from the Bishnupur Assembly Constituency (AC) and was the chief whip of Congress in the state Assembly.
Sources close to Govindas Konthoujam informed TFM that his resignation from the MPCC’s presidentship is yet to be accepted by Congress till the filing of this report. The sources also confirmed that it was the BJP central leadership who were in favour of granting him an entry into the saffron party due to current leadership and administrative crises being faced by the Manipur government led by N Biren Singh.
Another political observer who does not want to be identified said that Govindas Konthoujam was weighing the options available so as not to jeopardize his political prospects in future. At the time of filing this story, it could not be immediately confirmed when was he likely to join the BJP from the former minister’s close aides.
On July 17, Govindas Konthoujam had submitted his resignation (a copy of which is in TFM’s possession) to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi stating that he decided to resign due to “personal reasons”.
The unfolding drama comes in the wake of Congress seeking the disqualification of 12 MLAs supporting the N Biren Singh led government. The party had demanded the disqualification of the legislators in the 2018 ‘office of profit’ case.
From 2017 onwards, 12 MLAs (8 from the BJP – 3 NPF and one independent) were appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries. The controversy arose when the Manipur Parliamentary Secretary (Appointment, Salary and Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 2012, and the Manipur Parliamentary (Appointment, Salary and Allowances and Miscellaneous Provisions) Repealing Act, 2018 were declared unconstitutional by the Manipur High Court in September 2020.
The issue was taken to the Supreme Court which had fixed July 26 for disposing of Congress’ disqualification case against these MLAs. It was reported that the Election Commission of India has “opined in favour of these legislators”.