Manipur: Apex Tangkhul body requests ministerial berth in Biren’s government

Our Correspondent

Imphal, March 22 (EMN): The election of the speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly will be held on March 24 from 9 am onwards.

According to a notification issued by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on March 22, the Manipur Governor La Ganesan fixed the date and time for holding election to the office of the speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Meanwhile, civil society organisations in Manipur’s Ukhrul district which had so far produced two chief ministers of the state-(L) Yangmaso Shaiza and (L) Rishang Keishing, have demanded a ministerial berth from three elected MLAs from the district.

In a press release, the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), an apex body of Tangkhul community said the Naga People’s Front (NPF) got a total of five seats beating the 2017 elections record of four MLAs in the recently concluded assembly election. The increase in the number came from Ukhrul district with all three elected NPF MLAs. They are Ram Muivah (Ukhrul), Khashim Vashum(Chingai) and Leishiyo Keishing(Phungyar).

Stating that Ukhrul district has been denied ministerial berth for the last two decades, TNL said, “at this juncture, we earnestly request the concerned authority to consider the sentiments and hopes of the people for holistic development.”

In a letter to Himanta Biswa Sarma of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (Tangkhul student body) said the people of Ukhrul are deeply saddened, disappointed and betrayed by the state government of Manipur for ignoring Ukhrul District by not selecting a Cabinet Minister for the past 20 years.

Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong has also urged the NEDA convenor to suitably advise the state government to select an MLA from Ukhrul as a Cabinet Minister in the Council of Ministers.