Chief Minister N Biren on Sunday allocated portfolios to the five newly inducted ministers in the state cabinet, including the two former Congress MLAs who had defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The portfolios were distributed in the wake of the strong opposition against the reshuffle from CVOs and even student bodies of Kangpokpi and Heirok.
According to a notification issued by chief secretary Rajesh Kumar, Sorokhaibam Rajen of Lamsang assembly constituency has been given Education, Fisheries and CADA, while Vungzagin Valte of Thanlon A/C got Tribal Affairs and Hills, Transport and GAD.
Oinam Lukhoi of Wangoi A/C has been allotted with Agriculture, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry and Tourism while Thokchom Satyabrata Singh of Yaiskul A/C received Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Law and Legislative Affairs and Labour and Employment; and Okram Henry Singh of Wangkhei A/C got MAHUD, Social Welfare and Cooperation.
The chief minister has taken over Planning, Revenue and other departments which are not allocated specifically to anyone yet, according to the notification.
Rajen, Valte, Lukhoi, Satyabrata and Henry were inducted as ministers on September 24 after the government dropped six ministers, namely, Th Radheshyam, Nemcha Kipgen, V Hangkhanlian of the BJP; L Jayantakumar and N Kayisii of the National People’s Party (NPP) and Karam Shyam the lone LJP MLA.
While six ministers were dropped, a cabinet berth is still lying vacant. It is speculated that Biren is eyeing someone from those elected in the by-election to fill up the post. It may be mentioned that BJP national vice president, Baijayant Panda had hinted to the same during his Imphal visit on occasion of swearing in ceremony of the newly inducted ministers.
