IMPHAL, Feb 7: The Speaker’s tribunal of the Manipur Assembly has summoned four National People’s Party (NPP) Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to respond to charges in an anti-defection case. The legislators have been asked to provide their response by February 11 and attend a hearing on February 12.
The summons follows a petition filed by Hareshwar Goswami, Vice-President of Manipur Congress, who has called for the disqualification of these NPP MLAs. Goswami contends that the legislators should be disqualified for supporting the BJP-led government after the NPP officially severed its ties with the BJP in November last year.
The four MLAs summoned are Mayanglambam Rameshwar Singh, Thongam Shanti Singh, Irengbam Nalini Devi, and Janghemlung Panmei. The move comes just ahead of the Legislative Assembly session, which is set to commence on February 10.
It is worth noting that Meghalaya Chief Minister Sangma had, on November 17 last year, withdrawn support from the BJP-led government in Manipur, claiming that the CM Biren Singh-led Manipur government had “completely failed to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy” in the violence-ravaged state.
