NPF gets one more cabinet berth in Manipur

Fulfilling the long pending demand of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), one of the two major partners of the N Biren Singh’s BJP led coalition government, its (NPF) state unit president Awangbow Newmai was on Friday inducted as cabinet minister.

Newmai was sworn in as cabinet minister at a simple function held at Imphal Raj Bhavan in the presence only few guests. State Governor Dr Najma Heptulla administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly inducted cabinet minister. With the induction of Newmai in the council of ministers, NPF has two cabinet ministers in the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur.  NFP MLA L Dikho is already in the council of ministers since the inception of the coalition government.

The oath taking ceremony was held with a tight precautionary measure in view of COVID-19 pandemic and with only government media agencies as two or three local media persons attended the swearing-in ceremony . A DIPR release quoted Newmai expressing his gratitude to the Governor and chief minister for inducing him as one of the cabinet ministers.  He further lauded NFP president and his party colleagues for nominating him while assuring discharge of  his duties and whatever assignment has been given with utmost sincerity. 

On being asked about his portfolio, he said that he will graciously accept whatever the chief minister offers. Besides chief minister N Biren Singh, other ministers who attended the ceremony were works minister Th Biswajit, education minister Dr Th Radheshyam, CAF&PD minister Karam Shyam, agriculture minister V Hangkhanlian, fishery minister N Kayisii, PHED minister L Dikho and health minister L Jayantakumar.

Two state MPs of Lok Sabha Dr RK Ranjan and Dr Lorho Pfoze, three MLAs of ruling parties, state chief secretary and DGP were among others who present in the swearing-in -ceremony. The permissible strength of council of ministers in Manipur is 12. As such, chief minister N Biren Singh was unable to induct more ministers from the NPF, one of the major partners of the coalition partners despite strong demand of the NPF to induct one more minister from the party. 

The recent disqualification of Th Shyamkumar who held forest and environment among others by the Speaker of the state Assembly following a ruling of the Supreme Court of India paved the way for inducting the NPF MLA to the council of ministers.

With the induction of Newmai as cabinet minister, NPF with four MLAs has two cabinet ministers.

At present, all MLAs of NPP  enjoy cabinet ministerial berth and the remaining six including the chief minister from the BJP, the party with 21 MLAs in the state Assembly.

The 49-year-old post-graduate won the elections from Tamei Assembly Constituency of Tamenglong district in the general section to the state Assembly held in the early part of 2017 on NPF ticket. No portfolio is allotted to the newly inducted cabinet minister till the time of filing this report. 

However, expectations of allotting some of the portfolios earlier held by the ousted cabinet minister Th Shyamkumar stripped from the deputy chief minister  and Y Joykumar were doing the rounds.

Nearly two months ago, chief minister Biren stripped all his portfolios held at the deputy chief minister following a controversy over distribution of rice pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The chief minister was yet to distribute the portfolios stripped from the deputy chief minister which are now held by him.