BJP gains simple majority in Manipur, as Congress, TMC MLAs defect

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was set to expand its footprint in the North-East after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by it, staked claim on Sunday to form the government in Manipur.

If the BJP is able to prove its majority, it will be the first time that the party will head a government in Manipur.

Although the assembly elections did not give a clear majority to any party, the formation of an alliance under BJP leadership also means that the party has finally managed to edge out three-time Congress chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh from the race to the top post.

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The breakthrough in alliance talks for the BJP came on Sunday when the National People’s Party (NPP) which won four seats supported the alliance.

The BJP with its 21 members of legislative assembly (MLAs) already has the support of four MLAs of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and one MLA of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

BJP-led NDA, which has support of 30 MLAs, needs support of just one more MLA in Manipur to form government.

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The BJP won 21 seats in the 60-member assembly with a vote share of 36.3% while Congress won 28 seats with a vote share of 35.1%.

“We will approach Governor Najma Heptulla seeking her to invite BJP, NPP and LJP to form government in Manipur. We will prove it on the floor of the house,” said Ram Madhav, national general secretary of BJP. Congress leaders alleged that the BJP was using undemocratic means to form government in Manipur.

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Senior Congress leader and in-charge of the party in Manipur C.P. Joshi alleged that independent MLA Asab Uddin was being detained against his will.

“Forcefully abducting candidates to stop the formation of Congress government, is that how BJP exemplifies democracy? On Behest of BJP, Independent Candidate Asab Uddin (Jiribam,Manipur) has been detained forcefully by CISF and flown to an unknown location,” tweeted C.P. Joshi, general secretary of Congress.

The BJP already has a government in Assam and is part of the ruling alliance in Arunachal Pradesh.