Imphal, Aug. 4: Bolstered with the reunification of two factions of the Manipur Peoples Party (MPP), three more regional political parties in Manipur are going all out to bring all regional parties in the state under one platform and banner before the next Assembly elections.

Announcing the reunification at a news conference here yesterday, MPP president L. Borajaoba said his party and the Federal Party of Manipur (FPM) and the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party (DRPP) would devote their energy on unification of all regional parties.

The MPP is the oldest regional party in Manipur with two MLAs. The party split after former president and firebrand Opposition leader in the Assembly, Okram Joy Singh, refused to recognise the election of Borajaoba as the party president in December last year.

The differences between the two leaders led to courtroom fights.

“All the differences have now been sorted out. The cases would be withdrawn. From tomorrow, our sole aim would be the merger of regional parties,” Borajaoba announced.

To demonstrate that everything was all right now, Borajaoba shared the dais with Nimaichand Luwang, party MLA, who was expelled by the new president along with Joy Singh.

The latter did not attend the media conference.

However, party leaders clarified that he was not present as he had just returned from a tour of one of the Assembly constituencies. The MPP is planning to play a major role in the merger.

The preparatory committee formed by the three parties will start functioning from the office of the MPP from tomorrow.

The committee, which now has three members from each of the parties, will be expanded by inducting five more members.

“The new proposed party would be formed on the foundation of the MPP. The MPP constitution would be adopted after making changes wherever required. The preparatory committee will finalise the name and other matters within a week’s time. The party would be announced at a convention to be held during this month,” Luwang, who is also the convenor of the preparatory committee, said.

Manipur has a total of seven regional parties. Two of them were floated only a few days back. The leaders of the three parties said another regional party — the Manipur State Congress Party, now supporting the Okram Ibobi Singh government — would also join the new group.

“Our appeal to all regional parties in Manipur is: please come and join hands to form a forceful regional party that could tackle all serious issues of Manipur, like the division between the hill and the valley. The preparatory committee would extend formal invitations to the other parties,” L. Chandramani Singh, president of the FPM, said.