Fate of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, MPCC is still undecided. Following the resignation of Bishnupur MLA Govindas Konthoujam from the post of MPCC President, the party is still devoid of a president to lead it's members for the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly elections hanging in the early part of next year. On the other hand, Bharatiya Janata Party Manipur Pradesh with its new woman president Adhikarimayum Sharda is all geared up for the victory in the election. However, it is still early to decide whose card would turn out to be the winning card until the last moment.

12 Congress MLAs attended yesterday's Congress Legislature Party Meeting held at Classic Grande in Chingmeirong as soon as Indian National Congress Manipur In- Charge Bhakta Charan Das airdashed yesterday morning. He was recieved by Congress MLA K Meghachandra and other leaders.  Bhakta Charan Das made his entry prompt to consolidate congress party in the state soon after K. Govindas tendered his resignation. Nothing much about the meeting was divulged except that the Congress party will hold a press conference today to disclose its stance.

Accordingly, MPCC held the press meet at Imphal Congress Bhavan, BT road this morning. Much was expected to unfold but nothing much came out. Impact News witnessed only 5 congress MLAs attending the press meet including CLP Leader Okram Ibobi and AICC CWC member Gaikhangam. MPCC has time and again clarified that Govindas' resignation has nothing to do with CLP leadership and it is left to speculation as to what led the party's president who was at the forefront few days ago made his unprecedented announcement. Speaking to media, Bhakta Charan Das said, he will be in town for at least a week to take stock of the situation, to strategise policies for upcoming election and restore normalcy.  He said, the party hasn't decided who will be its new president and as soon as it is decided it will be made known. He wasted no opportunity to slam the BJP Government calling it unethical and power hungry even amid the tough times of Coronavirus pandemic. Bhakta Charan Das said, the BJP government is unconstitutional. It should be fighting the pandemic to save lives and not play petty politics to be in power. He said, the government with its present course of action doesn't deserve to be ruling for even a single day in the country. He has assured that the party will give timely updates on any new developments.

Meanwhile, as per a reliable Impact News source, 11 Congress MLAs are likely to leave to join a different party in unison and in case, they don't, they might form a whole new political party. Like they say, politics is politics you never know what's next!

Manipur continues to grapple with surging covid-19 infection as high as 19.37% on July 21. State reported 1,327 new covid cases out of the 6,852 samples tested in the last 24 hours. 15 patients succumbed to Covid-19 in the past 24 hours rising the death toll to 1,424. Covid-19 tally of Manipur has already exceeded 88 thousand mark. On the positive note, Manipur reported 1,032 cured cases in the past 24 hours. A total of 76,279 covid patients have recovered so far. State's recovery rate stands at 86.63 per cent.

Newly infected persons are 1,326 from the general population and one is a personnel of Central Armed Police Force. Imphal West has the highest infection of 400 followed by Imphal East with 351, Thoubal with 124, Kakching with 106, Churachandpur with 94, Bishnupur with 77, Chandel with 38, Tamenglong with 35, Noney with 27, Kangpokpi with 22, Jiribam with 17, Kamjong with 12, Senapati with 10 and 2 each in Tengnoupal and Pherzawl District.

Manipur health department is undoubtedly trying its best in ramping up vaccination rate and reaching out to residents in the far flung areas. Aged and physically challenged people have been vaccinated at their respective homes. Though a genome sequencing unit has been already opened at IBSD, Takyelpat, it is yet to ascertain how many of these new cases are of delta variant. Should there be a need to devise a different strategy to deal with the new variant?

Strict curfew is being imposed in the state barring for few miscreants who have not been spared by the police. There is also report of sorry condition of COVID Care Centre and Hospitals treating covid patients. The pandemic has affected almost everybody. As many as 9 of a family including minors have been even admitted to COVID Care Centre.  It's time everyone takes shared responsibilities, stay home and protect each other.

There is an urgent need to intensify covid vaccination drive in the far flung areas of Manipur. Many villagers in remote areas are still reluctant to get Covid-19 vaccine jab due to fear created by rumours about the vaccine. Roads in these villages are also in a bad shape hindering vaccination drive.

Villagers in the remote hill districts of Manipur are oblivious to the impending threat of Covid-19 pandemic. They are at the risk of getting COVID-19 if anyone with the infection happened to visit these villages. Timely COVID vaccination is a must and the only sure means to prevent such unwanted consequences.

Many villagers are reluctant to get jabbed with COVID-19 vaccine due to rumours about the vaccine that have been circulating for a while. Over and above, roads in these remote villages are in a pathetic condition owing to which, arranging vaccination sites in these villages is a hefty task. Phungyar A/C MLA, Leishiyo Keishing who is also the Chairman of Hills Area Committee along with District Administration has been organising awareness programmes on COVID vaccination in villages in his constituency for a while now. Awareness programs were held along with Litan police at Singkap, Marou and Singta villages just yesterday. 

Though Manipur government has intensified covid vaccination drive in valley areas, not even 20 thousand people have been vaccinated so far in the hill districts. Some villagers believe that getting Covid-19 vaccine is similar to getting  ‘666’ marked, which is believed to be the symbol of Anti-christ or the devil. Such rumour and many others have hindered vaccination drive.

After villagers repeatedly failed to turn up at Covid Vaccination Centres, the local MLA himself had visited some of these villages to raise awareness on the benefits of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and to clear away their doubts. Impact News reporter Kshetrimayum Premchand interacted with some of the villagers yesterday and witnessed that many of them are now willing to get the vaccine shots.

Around 200 villagers of Singkap, Marou and Singta recieved COVID-19 vaccine jabs just yesterday following an awareness program on the benefits of covid vaccination. On the positive note, eligible residents of 60 villages out of aound 140 villages of Kamjong District have been inoculated against COVID-19 so far. Meanwhile, the relevant authorities are making their best efforts to vaccinate the remaining eligible beneficiaries within this month.