Manipur MLA resigns from Assembly, quits Congress

Manipur MLA Francis Ngajokpa today resigned from the House as well as the primary membership of the ruling Congress party, whose sway in the Assembly remained unaffected by it.
Ngajokpa is the third Congress MLA to quit the party in the past one month before the 2017 Assembly polls in the state.
The resignation has not affected Congress' strength in the house as four MLAs of Trinamool Congress had joined it recently.
Congress now has 49 members in the assembly, which now has an effective strength of 53 instead of 60 after three Congress MLAs and four of Naga Peoples Front resigned from the House recently.

Speaking to reporters after handing over his resignation from his residence in Imphal West district, Ngajokpa said he has deep attachment with Congress and its principles as he has been associated with the party for a long time.
The decision though was taken following demands of the electorate of Tadubi constituency which he represents, he said.

Ngajokpa has sent his resignation to Speaker Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh, Assembly secretariat sources said.
The move today follows intense pressure from his workers who urged him to resign from Congress during the MLA Workers Meeting held last week in Senapati district.
Manipur PCC President T N Haokip told media there was no restriction for an MLA to leave the party and the decision of all individuals are always respected by it.

MPCC, he said, will decide its future course of action soon.