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Loktak scam guilty will be punished�

By Newmai News

IMPHAL, Nov 8 - Union Minister for Commerce and Industry (Independent) Nirmala Sitharaman said today that all individuals involved in the multi-crore-rupee Loktak scam would be punished after a probe.

The Union minister was campaigning for BJP candidate Khumukcham Joykishan Singh who is contesting the by-election to the Thangmeiband Constituency in Imphal West, slated on November 21.

Taking part in a campaign meeting at Ima Khunthokhanbi Shanglen in Thangmeiband, Sitharaman said that the BJP is concerned over the rampant corruption of the Congress Government led by Okram Ibobi Singh, especially in the multi-crore-rupee Loktak Lake cleaning project. She said the BJP Government at the Centre has initiated steps to probe the scam.

She alleged that the Ibobi Government has misused funds allocated by the Centre for various development schemes. �We understand the Congress Government has siphoned off huge amounts of money meant for development.�

Sitharaman alleged that the Manipur Government has turned the Manipur Development Society (MDS) into a den of corruption. The MDS has been set up for Ibobi and his immediate family through which they are indulging in massive corruption, she added.

The Union minister said she was upset over the Manipur Government�s �neglect� of the Centre�s proposal to allocate land for setting up a Border Haat at Moreh town in Chandel district to boost cross-border trade.

Sitharaman was confident that the BJP would win the forthcoming by-elections to Thongju and Thangmeiband constituencies. She added that the Congress would be taught a lesson if the BJP candidates win the by-polls.

In the by-elections straight fights are likely between the Congress and the BJP. In Thangmeiband Constituency, Jyotin Waikhom of the INC, Kh Joykishan of the BJP and Dr GA Tonsana of the Manipur Democratic People�s Front (MDPF) are in the fray. Bijoy Koijam of the INC, Th Biswajit of the BJP and Dr GA Tonsana of the MDPF will fight the by-election in Thongju. Dr GA Tonsana is contesting from both the constituencies.

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