In order to claim majority in Manipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has submitted a list of 32 MLAs to the Governor of the state, Najma Heptullah on March 12 along with a letter a support from the regional parties. In the recently concluded assembly elections, BJP swept off 21 seats while Congress got 28 and finally making it a hung assembly. But, BJP garnered the support from the local parties and claimed to form the new government.
In its claim handed over to the Governor, BJP claimed the support of National People’s Party – 4 MLAs, Naga People’s Front – 4 MLAs, Lok Janshakti Party – 1 MLA and two independent candidates Ashab Uddin and T Robindro Singh. Chief Minister Ibobi Singh also met the Governor and while claiming he stated that Congress should be invited to prove its majority in the House.
BJP MLAs and its supporting MLAs meet Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla pic.twitter.com/b0SWrcFVnV
— ANI (@ANI_news) March 12, 2017
The Congress MLA Shyam Kumar Singh was also present while his name was not there on the list of MLAs backing BJP, inviting allegations of the saffron party trying to split Congress.
The voting percentage received by the Congress was around 35 per cent while BJP surprised with its share of 36.3 per cent. Manipur BJP general secretary Thongam Biswajit Singh and senior spokesman N Biren Singh are top contenders for the post.
Apart from BJP and Congress, the third and recently evolved faction was Irom Sharmila’s PRAJA (Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance) but apart from all speculations, these elections were a massive setback for her as she got only 85 votes standing against Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
