NEW DELHI, APRIL 1: Disturbed at alarming reports of lawlessness, corruption and misgovernance from Imphal and a virtually ineffective Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, the UPA government is considering all options for a regime change, including the extreme one of President’s rule.

The issue was discussed at the highest levels today and the ball is now in the court of State Governor S S Sidhu and Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

Government sources said that Manipur Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh today met Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrashekhar and apprised him of the situation in the state, where Naga and Meitei underground groups openly call the shots. Fourteen non-Manipuri migrant workers were killed last month.

It’s understood that Singh complained to Chandrashekhar that despite the state having no less than 21 IPS officers, not one is currently serving there. According to the Chief Secretary, these officers had opted for the “comfort zone” in the Intelligence Bureau in the capital.

The Governor is also in touch with the UPA government and is expected to send a report in the next couple of days.

Although sections in the party are worried over the high political cost of dismissing a Congress-led government headed by Ibobi Singh who was sworn in for the second consecutive time last March, the UPA leadership is said to be “deeply perturbed” by extremist activity in the state with NSCN(I-M) and Meitei groups openly extorting money in the face of an indifferent regime. Sources said both Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have been sounded out.

The fact is that despite the PM committing funds and laying the foundation stone for a secretariat and a Central university in Imphal in 2004-2005, nothing has moved on both these projects.

Even though the UPA was seriously contemplating changing the state CM after 18 of the 31 Congress MLAs came out openly against him, Ibobi Singh has “managed” to bring six MLAs back to his fold.

The high command’s choice for replacement, currently a state Minister, was threatened with dire consequences. Ibobi also has Home, Finance and Urban Development.