Manipur assembly dissolved

IMPHAL: Manipur assembly was dissolved on Monday with chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh submitting his resignation to governor Gurbachan Jagat to pave way for the formation of the new government.
Ibobi chaired the last cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon and the cabinet recommended the dissolution of the ninth state assembly to the governor, who will now issue a notification on the constitution of the 10th state assembly.
Government spokesman N Biren Singh said Jagat has asked the chief minister to continue till the new arrangement is made. "Ibobi Singh will be sworn in as the new chief minister on Wednesday," said Biren Singh after the last cabinet meeting.
The seniormost MLA in the assembly, L Nandakumar Singh of Congress, was appointed as pro-tem speaker by Jagat and will take his oath on Tuesday. Singh will then administer the oath to the newly-elected MLAs.
The ruling Congress swept the just-concluded assembly election winning 42 of the total 60 seats. This is the first time in Manipur's electoral history that a party won a two-thirds majority.
The newly-elected Congress Legislature Party (CLP) met on last Wednesday at the state Congress Bhawan and passed a one-line resolution authorizing the party high command to select the new leader. The high command has already asked Ibobi to continue and the CLP may formally elect him the leader on Tuesday. "It is just a formality now," said a Congress source.
However, there is still a tussle for the 'number two' position in the new cabinet. While some AICC leaders want PCC president Gaikhangam to get the deputy chief minister's post, a senior leader from the Kuki-Paite bloc, Phungzathang Tonsing, opposed the move. Tonsing argued that he should also be given the deputy chief minister's post if the party gives it to Gaikhangam, a Naga leader.