- Advertisement -
Guwahati : BJP's last night coup has dramatically changed in Manipur politics as the saffron party is all set to form the next ministry in the north eastern Indian state after the party have secured the support of 32 MLAs after getting the backing of NDA and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) allied parties and two other legislators.
Meanwhile, Manipur governor Najma Hetullah has asked incumbent Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of Congress to submit his resignation immediately.
The governor asked Ibobi to submit his resignation as starting the process of the next government formation.
A highly placed source said that, the Manipur governor asked the incumbent CM during the meeting held at Rajbhawan last night with Ibobi Singh along with his deputy Gaikhamgam and state Congress president TN Haokip.
"As per rules, the next government formation wouldn't be started until and unless the present CM resigns.
The source further said that, Ibobi Singh and Congress had staked claim to the next ministry by showing a list of 38 Congress MLAs and also showing the names of four National People's Party (NPP) MLAs in an ordinary piece of paper and claimed to have support from these MLAs.
"But the governor rejected Ibobi's claim after seeing the ordinary piece of paper and asked his to resign immediately," the source said.
On the other hand, BJP has started the process of formation the next government.
The saffron party has its own 21 MLAs and secured support of 11 others including 4 MLAs each of Naga People's Front (NPF), NPP and one legislator of LJP.
Assam finance minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma said that, a Congress MLA and the lone MLA of AITC had joined BJP taking the party number to 32.
31 are needed to the government in the 60-member Manipur assembly.
After securing support of 32 MLAs, a delegation team of BJP and its ally parties met Manipur governor Najma Heptullah and stakes claim to form the next ministry.
Himanta Biswa Sarma further said that, the legislature party leader would be elected on Monday.
Last night, the political drama in Manipur added a new twist after Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh, one of the 28 Congress legislators, who won from the Adro constituency and the lone AITC MLA Tongbram Robindro had joined the BJP.
Sources said that, apart from Shyamkumar, 19 others Congress MLAs would likely to join BJP within short period.
(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
