Mar 14, 2017: In Manipur, BJP Legislature Party has unanimously elected N Biren Singh as it leader and He was elected at a legislature party meeting in Imphal yesterday in the presence of central observers – Piyush Goyal and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe. After the meeting, Mr Goyal told reporters that N Biren Singh will be the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate. A former minister in the Ibobi Singh-led Congress government, Biren Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP leadership for giving him an opportunity to serve Manipur. He said, his team under the leadership of the Prime Minister will provide good governance to the state.
Meanwhile, outgoing Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh resigned yesterday after Governor Najma Heptullah said she cannot start the process of government formation in the state till he quits. Ibobi Singh submitted his resignation papers to the Governor yesterday. Ibobi Singh was elected as leader of the Congress Legislature Party on Sunday and has staked claim to form the next government.
Both BJP and Congress have staked claim to form the government in the state. Senior BJP leader and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that the party has secured the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly. 31 MLAs are needed to form a government in the state. Mr Sarma said, BJP has 21 MLAs and secured support of 11 others adding up to 32 legislators.
Mr Sarma said, Shyamkumar, one of the 28 Congress MLAs, and the lone Trinamool Congress legislator Robindro have joined hands with BJP taking the party’s numbers to 32. Asked about application of the anti-defection law against Shyamkumar, Mr Sarma said they have kept that in mind.
