In an interesting twist of events, one of the newly elected MlAs of Manipur went ‘missing’ on Sunday. The development took place a day after the poll results were announced and when both the BJP and the Congress are claiming that they would form the next Government in the State. While the ruling Congress has got 28 seats in the polls, the BJP also sprang a surprise by winning 21 seats.
According to sources Independent MlA, Ashab Uddin who had landed at Imphal’s Tulihal airport from Guwahati on Sunday became traceless immediately after that. Although there were reports that CISF detained him, the CISF officials denied the reports and said that they were not allowed to comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, the Congress alleged that the MlA was “abducted” and taken to Kolkata by the BJP. “Ashab Uddin had come from Guwahati along with Manipur’s Agriculture Minister Md. Abdul Nashir in the same flight.
However, the MlA remained traceless since then and his mobile phone has remained switched off for hours together,” said a senior Congress leader in Manipur.
“Ashab Uddin had come along with our Agriculture Minister. When the two of them were coming out, the CISF segregated him and took him to a room. later, when some people wanted to meet him, they were denied entry by the CISF,” Congress MlA Yengkhom Surchandra Singh said adding that the BJP has been playing the dirty games to come to the power in the State.
It may be mentioned here that the BJP has the support of Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) and the National Peoples’ Party (NPP) that also managed to get four seats each in the polls, the ruling party needs the support of at least three other legislators to stake claim to form the government. Sources in the BJP said that they are likely to meet the Manipur Governor tonight to stake claim to form the Government.