IMPHAL, Sept 27 - Three days after their induction into the council of ministers, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh today allocated portfolios to the five newly inducted ministers.
As per a notification issued by Chief Secretary Dr Rajesh Kumar, Sorokhiabam Rajen has been allocated Education; Fisheries; and Command Area Development Authority portfolios, Vungzagin Valte has been assigned Tribal Affairs and Hills, Transport and General Administrative Departments while Oinam Lukhoi has been given the charge of Agriculture, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, and Tourism.
Thokchom Satyabarta has been allocated Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; Law and Legislative Affairs; and Employment while Okram Henry has been given Municipal Administration; Housing and Urban Development; Social Welfare; and Cooperation.
The notification said that the Chief Minister will continue to hold Home, Personnel, Planning, and Revenue portfolios besides any other department not allocated to any minister.
On Thursday, three BJP MLAs � Rajen (Lamsang constitutency), Vungzagin (Thanlon), and Satyabarta (Yaiskul) � and two ex-MLAs Lukhoi (Wangoi) and Henry (Wangkhei) were sworn in as Cabinet ministers after dropping six ministers from the council of ministers.
Lukhoi and Henry had resigned as Congress MLAs to join the BJP.
The six dropped minister include V Hangkhalian (Agriculture and Animal Husbandry), Nemcha Kipgen (Social Welfare and Cooperation) and Th Radheshyam (Education, Labour and Employment), L Jayantakumar (Health and Family Welfare), N Kayisii (Tribal Affairs and Fisheries) and K Shyam (Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Distribution).
Hangkhalian, Nemcha and Radheshyam are from the BJP while Jayantakumar and Kayisii are from the National People�s Party and Shyam is from Lok Janshakti Party.
On Saturday, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee had questioned the logic of allotting ministerial berths to two ex-MLAs after they had voluntarily resigned from the Legislative Assembly.
