Manipur Congress chief resigns after dismal performance in assembly election

PCC presidents of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab too have tendered their resignation

Our Correspondent
Imphal, March 16 (EMN): A day after Congress President Sonia Gandhi asked the party’s state unit chiefs of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur to put in their resignations to facilitate the reorganisation of Pradesh Congress committees (PCCs), President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, N Loken resigned from the post and submitted his resignation paper to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Wednesday.

In a letter to the AICC chief, Loken wrote: “Taking responsibility for the major defeat of the candidates of Indian National Congress (INC) in the last 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2022, I do hereby submit my resignation from the presidentship of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) of the INC on moral ground with immediate effect.”

PCC presidents of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab too have tendered their resignation from the post of party chief.

It may be mentioned that the Congress put up a poor show in the recently concluded assembly elections in five states. The grand old party failed to retain power in Punjab after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got absolute majority, while the BJP claimed power in the remaining four states.

The Congress fielded 53 candidates in the recently concluded Manipur election but managed to win only five seats in the 60-member assembly, while the ruling BJP won 32 seats. Loken, a five-time MLA, also lost to BJP candidate Th Basanta from Nambol constituency.

Meanwhile, to revamp the party after losing the elections in five states, the party has launched an intensive membership enrollment drive in the north-eastern states.

The party leaders said that so far, about 1.5 lakh out of its target of 3 lakh members have been enrolled in the state during the on-going intensive enrolment drive which will continue till March 31.

In another development, Janata Dal (United) Manipur unit president Hangkhanpau Taithul also submitted his resignation letter to the party’s general secretary Afaque Ahmad Khan. In his letter, Hangkhanpau said he is resigning from the post on moral ground in view of the ‘dismal performance’ in the recently concluded assembly elections.

The party won six seats out of 38 candidates it fielded in the recent state election, making it the third largest party after BJP (32) and National People’s Party (seven).

However, responding to his resignation letter, convenor of Northeast Executive Council of the JD(U) had requested him to continue as state unit president while the national office of the party examines the content of the letter.