Imphal: Manipur National Conference (MNC) today (Jan 02, 2004) withdrew support to the ruling Secular Progressive Front (SPF) Ministry reducing the latter's strength to 36 in the 60-member State Assembly.

MNC President and former State Chief Minister W Nipamacha Singh told reporters in Imphal that the decision to dissociate MNC from SPF was taken in party's central executive committee meeting late last night.

The MNC, which has a lone MLA, withdrew support because the SPF steering committee was persistently ignoring the party in important meetings, Singh said.

Singh also regretted that Chief Minister O.Ibobi Singh had dropped the lone MNC Minister S.Natum singh (former Minister of State for Transport) from the council of Ministry without informing and consulting the party, about six months ago.

This was an insult to the MNC, he said adding that MNC would not join any opposition front at the moment.

Presently Congress has 31 and Communist party of India (CPI) has 5 seats respectively.