Trouble seems to be brewing in the ruling Congress in Manipur even as senior Congress leader and six-time legislator, Y Irabot Singh resigned from the ruling party and joined BJP on Monday with his supporters.
Y Irabot Singh resigned from the Congress on Monday and joined the BJP and said that he had taken the decision after his supporters and electorates in his constituency forced him to do so. “I have failed the initiate development in the constituency during last several years,” he said.
The veteran politician further said that some more Congress leaders are considering to resign from the Congress and are planning to join the BJP due to the dictatorial rule of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
Irabot Singh who represents Wangkhei constituency, had earlier resigned from the membership of the Manipur legislative Assembly.
Meanwhile, sources close to Irabot Singh said that his decision to resign from the Congress followed as the Chief Minister has been backing his nephew Okram Henry in the constituency against Irabot. Henry had unsuccessfully contested the 2012 Assembly elections from Wangkhei constituency against Irabot.
The development assumes significance considering the face that the State is going to the polls in 2017. It may be mentioned here that the BJP, who has been eying the northeast to expand its base—particularly after the recent elections in Assam—has surely got an edge after the joining of Irabot Singh.
Irabot’s joining the saffron party also came ahead of the scheduled visit of BJP national president Amit Shah to Manipur on September 15.