Manipur: Two Congress MLAs join BJP-led coalition government

BJP’s strength in its first ever coalition government in Manipur has increased to 40 in the 60-member House after the two Congress MLAs joined them on Saturday.

Bishwajit Singh, Works and Information Minister told a gathering on Sunday that Congress MLAs Kshetrimayum Biren Singh and Paonam Brojen joined the BJP on Saturday.

There are total 31 BJP MLAs in the state, which include four of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), four of the Nationalist People Party (NPP) and one independent in the government headed by N Biren Singh. So far, 8 out of 28 Congress legislators have joined the BJP in Manipur.

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“They have submitted their resignation to the chief minister to take up new assignments as the chairmen of several committees of the state assembly,” Singh said when asked about the reports of the resignation of seven parliamentary secretaries of the coalition government on Saturday.

There was no misunderstanding among MLAs of ruling parties, he stressed. At present, the number of Congress MLAs has been reduced to 20 in the Assembly, official sources said.

With PTI inputs.

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