Congress may form govt in Manipur as 3 BJP MLAs, others resign

The Congress party on Wednesday sensed an opportunity to form the government in Manipur after nine MLAs, including three of the BJP, shifted allegiance to the grand old party.

Nine MLAs including deputy chief minister Y Joykumar Singh resigned on Wednesday. In the swift political development, four legislators of National People’s Party (NPP), a BJP ally in the state, an independent MLA and a Trinamool Congress MLA have withdrawn support to the Chief Minister N Biren Singh-led coalition government.

Confirming the resignation of NPP MLAs, deputy chief minister Y Joykumar Singh told reporters in Imphal that the decision was taken in view of the “insult” being faced by him and his party MLAs from the BJP.

“We are trying to form the government in Manipur,” a senior Congress leader told DH in Delhi. The Congress party is likely to meet Governor Najma Heptulla on Thursday to move a no-confidence motion and a floor test.

In 2017 assembly elections, Congress had emerged as the single-largest party with 28 seats in the 60-member assembly. But, BJP with 21 seats managed to form the government by forming a coalition with the National People’s Party (NPP), Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). The NPP and NPF have four MLAs each and LJP has one.

An independent MLA and the lone Trinamool legislator too had supported the BJP.