It was a historic day in Manipur on Wednesday when senior BJP leader N Biren Singh took oath of office and secrecy as the new Chief Minister of the State, heading the first-ever BJP Government in the State since inception.
Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla gave the oath of office and secrecy to N Biren Singh at a function held at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal. later on the recommendation of the new Chief Minister, the Governor had also sworn-in eight MlAs as Ministers which includes Th Biswajit Singh (BJP), Yumnam Joykumar Singh (NPP), l. Jayantakumar Singh (NPP), letpao Haokip (NPP), N. Kayisii (NPP), Karam Shyam (lJP), Th. Shyamkumar (Cong legislator who defected to the BJP) and losii Dikho (NPF).
Senior NPP leader and former Director General of Police Yumnam Joykumar Singh, who was a close to former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of the State.
“The Government’s priority will be to end the blockade of the two national Highways in the State, which are causing immense trouble for the people of the state,” said N Biren Singh, while briefly interacting with the media after the swearing-in ceremony.
The BJP delegation led by Biren had met the Governor and staked claim to form the Government in the State on Tuesday. While the BJP has got 21 legislators on its own, the NPP and NPF, which had won four seats each also extended their support to the BJP-led Government in the State. Besides, the lok Janshakti Party (lJP) legislator, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) legislator and one of the Congress legislators also extended their support to the BJP led Government making the total strength of the BJP-led alliance to 32 in the House of 60.
The Congress which has won 28 seats in the polls failed fell short of the magic number of 31 to form the Government in the State.
Najma Heptulla had invited the BJP led group on Tuesday to form the Government and said that it is the responsibility of the Governor vested by the Constitution of India to weigh and measure the stability of the State.
Heptulla had on Tuesday said that the new Government has to prove its majority in the floor of the House soon after the formation of the Government.