Phungzathang Tonsing, Gaikhangam and Thoudam Debendra Singh at Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Friday. Picture by UB Photos

Imphal, March 16: Okram Ibobi Singh expanded his three-day-old Congress ministry by inducting three senior-most ministers of cabinet rank at 4 this afternoon.

Governor Gurbachan Jagat administered the oath of office and secrecy to Manipur PCC president Gaikhangam, former forest and environment minister Thoudam Debendra Singh and former power minister Phungzathang Tonsing at the banquet hall of Raj Bhavan.

Gaikhangam, who had stormed out of Raj Bhavan banquet hall shortly before oath-taking in March 2007 in protest against putting him at the third rank of the ministry, today became the number two man in the Ibobi Singh council of ministers.

Throughout the term, he chose to remain party president and not to accept any ministerial post.

Debendra Singh and Tonsing were ministers in the second term of the Ibobi Singh-led Secular Progressive Front ministry.

Ibobi Singh, who became the chief minister for the third consecutive term on March 14, said the portfolios of the newly inducted ministers would be announced soon.

None of the three inducted ministers was named the deputy chief minister and Ibobi Singh is unlikely to appoint one. The size of the Manipur ministry is 12.

The other eight ministers are likely to be inducted after the brief budget session, which will commence on March 19.

The election of the Speaker would also be held the same day, before the start of the session, which will be addressed by the governor.

Ibobi Singh did not specify when the next expansion would take place, saying it would be done soon.

Asked whether the clamouring for a ministerial berth compelled him to induct only three ministers, Ibobi Singh said there was no problem.

“We will expand the ministry soon,” he said.

Ibobi Singh said new faces would replace some of the ministers in his second term.

“You just wait and watch how many new faces will be brought in and how many old faces are dropped,” Ibobi Singh told reporters.

Sources said Ibobi Singh might give either the home or finance charge to Gaikhangam, who lost the race for the chief minister’s post.

Ibobi Singh held both the charges in his second term.