Threat to Koijam Govt. blows over

By K. V. Prasad

NEW DELHI, MAY 12. Growing differences between the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally, Samata Party, over the fate of Manipur Government led by the Samata's Mr. Radhabinod Koijam was bridged today with the BJP ruling out any change in Imphal.

The three-month-old Samata Party-led People's Front coalition Government of Mr. Koijam faced a revolt when 18 MLAs of a Front constituent, the Manipur State Congress Party, split to form another outfit and sought a change of leadership. Some members of the faction, such as Dr. Jiten and the Assembly Speaker, Dr Dhananjoy Singh, are now camping in Delhi and in touch with senior NDA/BJP leaders.

Although the breakaway faction of the MSCP now appear set to merge with the BJP, the immediate threat to the Koijam Government has receded. The BJP President, Mr. K Jana Krishnamurty, today categorically ruled out a change of the Chief Minister or disturbing the present arrangement in Imphal.

``The Samata Chief Minister will continue and on our part we will only further strengthen not weaken the coalition,'' he said.

The Samata leadership suspected that the rebels were being encouraged by the State BJP leaders, including the former Chief Minister, Mr. R. K. Dorendra Singh, to move against Mr. Koijam. Apparently irked at the move, the Samata leaders were understood to have conveyed to the BJP leadership in no uncertain terms that the move to topple the lone Samata-led Government in the country would be have `serious repercussions' elsewhere. The BJP could expect to be repaid in the same coin elsewhere like Jharkhand, where the Babulal Marandi Government depended on support from Samata. Already beleaguered by the Tehelka episode, the Samata leaders were distressed over the Manipur development. A series of interaction between the top BJP and Samata leadership arrested a possible downslide in their relations.

Meanwhile, Mr. Padmanabh Acharya, the BJP secretary incharge for north-east told The Hindu, the party could swell in strength in Manipur. Yet as part of the coalition Government in Manipur, it will continue to insist on the formation of a coordination committee and a common agenda, he said.

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