In a bold move, the National People’s Party (NPP) Manipur unit led by Thangminlien Kipgen on Thursday expelled N Kayisii, the interim president appointed by NPP chief Conrad Sangma.
The incident comes close on the heels of the expulsion of Kipgen by Conrad Sangma for going against the party constitution. Kipgen on Thursday issued a statement and a video, reacting to Sangma’s statement and on the expulsion of Tribal Affairs Minister N Kayisii.
Kipgen alleged N Kayisii of indulging in anti-party activities and for failing to renew his party membership. Thus, he is no longer a member of the NPP Manipur, he said. “Therefore, on the recommendation of the disciplinary committee under article 19 of the party constitution, I expelled him from the party for the period of six years,” he said.
An order to this effect was also issued by the general secretary (administration) NPP Manipur. N Kayisii is a minister in the BJP-led Manipur government.
With regards to the allegation levelled against him, Kipgen said, “I have never acted and will never go against the constitution of the NPP, as alleged by the party national president. As I have already stated earlier, the national president was misled by some individuals for their personal gains. The recent constitution of the state election authority was also done in accordance with the constitution since the present tenure of my presidentship was about to expire on Aug 26”. N Kayisii could not be reached when the Imphal Free Press contacted the minister for a comment till the time of filing this report.
The constitution of the party referred by national president Conrad Sangma in all his letters and speeches are not found in the referred constitution of the NPP. The referred document is neither found in the ECI website as well as in the NPP office in Manipur, he contended.
Kipgen further claimed that the show-cause notice issued by NPP national secretary on August 20 informed him (Kipgen) to respond within 15 days from the date of issue of the notification. “However, before I could give a reply, the national president of NPP issued an order of expulsion on August 24 which is unconstitutional, unbecoming and uncalled for," he lamented.
