12 Manipur Congress MLAs quit posts but say there is no question of leaving party

As many as 12 Congress MLAs of the Manipur Legislative Assembly on Wednesday tendered resignations from key posts they were holding in the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee. The Congress MLAs, however, said that there is no question of them leaving the party but will start working at the grassroots level. This decision comes just days after the Congress suffered defeat in both the Parliamentary seats in the state. The MLAs said that they have taken the decision on moral grounds.

Giving rest to speculations of them joining the BJP, which heads the state’s ruling coalition, MLA Govindas Konthoujam, who is the Chief Whip, said, "There is no question of us joining the BJP for personal or political gains". Another Congress MLA, K Ranjit, said they would keep working to strengthen the party from the grassroots level. Similarly, party MLA K Joykishan said they had quit the posts in MPCC owning moral responsibility for failure in the Lok Sabha elections as reported by the New Indian Express.

Eight of the 28 Congress MLAs had joined the BJP around the time the coalition was forged.

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee President Gaikhangam said, “Some friends have tendered resignation but I have not yet seen the papers... Rahul ji has offered his resignation to give direction to strengthening the party. So, at PCC levels we've to follow suit.” “This is nothing that somebody dislikes a party but we have to follow our leader. This is the only reason,” he added as quoted by the ANI.

Some friends have tendered resignation but I have not yet seen the papers...Rahul ji has offered his resignation to give direction to strengthening the party. So at PCC levels we've to follow suit: Manipur PCC President on resignation of 12 Congress MLAs from MPCC posts
(29.05) pic.twitter.com/UqHfoQiIzA

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“They have just relinquished their posts of office-bearers for concentrating on reaching out to the people,” said Congress spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei.

The MLAs who had tender resignation from the key post of the MPCC are - N Loken (VP), Kh Joykishan (VP), Md. Abdul Nasir (VP), DDThaisii (VP),  Chaltonlien Amo (VP), Govindas Konthoujam (Chief Whip), K Ranjit (Treasurer), Alfred Kanggam Arthur (General Secretary), DK Korungthang (CLP Secretary), RK Imo Singh (General Secretary), K Meghachandra (General Secretary) and Fazur Rahim (Minority Cell Chairman) .