The BJP on Saturday outsmarted the Congress to make the first move towards forming its maiden Government in Manipur by securing the “support of 32 MlAs” and meeting Governor Najma Heptullah to stake claim to form the new regime, which could be its third in the North-East. Nevertheless, the Congress also claimed it has the numbers to form the Government even as it alleged that the BJP used the CISF to “abduct” an Independent MlA Ashab Uddin at Imphal airport and had flown him to Kolkata.
The BJP has its own 21 MlAs and secured support of 11 others adding up to 32 legislators. 31 are needed to form Government in the 60-member Assembly. A delegation of BJP and parties supporting it called on the Governor.
Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said after meeting the Governor said the legislature party leader would be elected on Monday.
Shyamkumar, one of the 28 Congress MlAs who won from Andro constituency, and the lone Trinamool Congress MlA Robindro joined the BJP taking the party's numbers to 32, Sarma said. More Congress MlAs are likely to defect to the BJP, sources said. The election threw up a hung verdict with none of the parties being able to cross the magic figure of 31.
“The NDA partners —the NPP and the lJP — have extended support to the BJP to form Government in Manipur,” said Ram Madhav, BJP general secretary, who has been tasked to secure support from the winning regional parties in Manipur.
But State Congress president TN Haokip too expressed confidence of forming the next Government. “We are already in talks with like-minded secular and regional parties. But we will never go with separatist outfit like NPF,” Haokip said in Imphal.
The NPF, on its part, also announced it will support any non-Congress Government thus indicating its inclination to go with the BJP.
“We are an alliance of NDA and therefore we will support the North East Democratic Alliance, which comprises non-Congress parties even in Manipur,” said NPF spokesperson Achumbemo Kikon.
Both the NPP and the NPF are BJP alliance partners in the North East Democratic Alliance and NDA at the Centre.
The lJP, which won one seat, is already an NDA partner though the candidate contested against a BJP member. lJP was the first announce its support to the BJP. The TMC and Independent have bagged one seat each which may extend ideological support to Congress still making it one short of majority.
“We are confident of forming the next Government in Manipur. The NPP has won four seats. The lJP has won one seat. Even though we have fought separately, we are hopeful that they will join us as they are our partners in the NDA Government. We will talk to the TMC and Independent candidates also,” BJP leader and MlA from Heingang N Biren said in Imphal.
Meanwhile, Okram Ibobi Singh was reelected as the leader of Congress legislature Party (ClP) on Sunday amidst a political drama prevailing in the State with the Congress alleging “abduction” of the independent MlA from Imphal airport
AICC spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that Ashab Uddin was travelling with Congress MlA Abdul Nasir. “According to the information, when Nasir and Ashab Uddin arrived at the airport, a scuffle took place between Nasir and BJP MlA Th Bishwajit. The CISF then allegedly handed over Ashab Uddin to the BJP team at Imphal, who reportedly arranged for a special flight to take Ashab Uddin to Guwahati. The flight reportedly took off 3:40 pm and finally destined to Kolkatta perhaps for a deal,” Surjewala alleged.
According to reports, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Bishwa Sharma, convenor of North-East Democratic Alliance, also met Ashab Uddin at the airport and strongly lobbied for him to join the BJP.
After its stunning victory in Assam in 2016, the BJP scripted a dramatic turnaround of fortunes in the Northeast, a traditional stronghold of the Congress, bagging 36.3 per cent votes, which is even higher than the Congress which polled 35.1 per cent votes. The presence of the BJP was so nominal in the State that the party had hardly fielded any candidate in the last 2012 Assembly polls. Things looked up after the BJP’s ascension to power at the Centre in 2014.