Manipur will go for Assembly elections on Monday without a declared CM face.
The opposition Congress and BJP, which leads the ruling alliance since 2017, has decided not to project a CM candidate ahead of elections despite having Okram Ibobi Singh and N Biren Singh as the tallest leader in their respective camp.
Ibobi, the 73-year-old three-time former Chief Minister (2002-2017) is now the tallest leader in the Congress camp after the departure of Konthoujam Govindas to BJP in 2020. Govindas was a contender in 2017 when Ibobi was projected as the CM face as Congress was hoping to form the government for the fourth term in a row.
Congress emerged as the single largest party with 28 out of 60 seats. Party sources said Congress could not form the government as the two regional parties, the National People's Party (NPP) and Naga People's Front (NPF) refused to extend their support with Ibobi as the CM. NPP and NPF had bagged four seats each and helped BJP to form the government.
Biren, on the other hand, is likely to face competition for Biswajit Singh and Govibdas. Biswajit is a senior minister in the state cabinet and has several contesting candidates in his fold.
Although both BJP and Congress have said that the new CM would be decided by the high command and the newly-elected MLAs, sources told DH that the decision was taken mainly due to dissidence and keeping in mind the post-poll equation.
"If we don't get the absolute majority like 2017, we will have to knock at the doors of both NPP and NPF again. And they may again have the same problem with Ibobi. So the CM will be decided based on the situation after the results," a Congress leader in Manipur said.
"Ibobi still does not have acceptability in the hills where NPF is strong," he said. The Naga and Kuki (Christian) dominated hills have 20 seats and NPF is contesting in 10.
Both NPP and NPF had virtually quit the BJP-led government in 2020 and 2019 citing their differences with the CM Biren Singh. Both were, however, convinced by the high command to stay in the coalition and the government.
NPP this time is contesting in 38 seats and wants to emerge as the single largest party to prevent Biren from becoming the CM again. Y. Joykumar Singh, president of Manipur unit of NPP and deputy Chief Minister since 2017 is their biggest face. NPP too has not named a CM candidate.
Assembly elections in Manipur are scheduled for February 28 and March 4. A total of 265 candidates are in the fray for the elections. Campaigning for the first phase of polling on Monday for 38 seats, concluded on Saturday.
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