Chief Minister Ibobi Singh was criticised by the rebel group for giving his deputy "unlimited powers."
The crisis in the Manipur Congress, brewing for over two years now and posing a possible threat to the government in the state, appeared to have blown over for now, with Chief Minister Ibobi Singh reshuffling his cabinet just a few months before assembly elections in the state.
Tuesday's reshuffle came after 25 dissident legislators had campaigned for over a year seeking removal of ministers they said were not performing well. In the 60-member Manipur assembly the Congress has 48 legislators and is in its third consecutive term. Khetrimayum Biren, Manga Waiphei and R.D. Korungthang -faces the rebel camp is happy with - were included in Mr Singh's ministry today.
The Congress has lost two governments in the hill states of Arunachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand due to owing to dissent.
"Dissidence is everywhere. Even in families because everyone cannot be satisfied totally. We have to reconcile and go together for our better future," said the three term chief minister. Mr Singh has been criticised for giving "unlimited powers" to Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangham, who was recently removed as the state Congress chief after rebel MLAs demanded that the one man-one post formula be honoured by the Congress in the state.
Two senior ministers, Forest and Revenue Minister Th. Devendra Singh and Health Minister T. Phunzathang, have been dropped in the reshuffle.
A rebel legislator, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, "We demanded the honouring of 'one man-one post' and reshuffling of the ministries."
The legislator said the two ministers were dropped because the dissident camp said, "ministers who cannot contribute to the political growth of the party should be penalised. We are extremely happy with the outcome."