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BJP government takes oath in Manipur, N Biren Singh new CM

Manipur becomes the third BJP-ruled state in the Northeast within a span of 10 months

N Biren Singh
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Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla administering oath of office to new Chief Minister N Biren Singh during a ceremony in Imphal (Photo: PTI)
Supratim Dey Guwahati
Last Updated : Mar 15 2017 | 7:13 PM IST
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The Northeastern state of Manipur today got the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government when Nongthombam Biren Singh took oath of office as the new chief minister of the state. With Manipur coming into BJP’s kitty, the tally of BJP-ruled state in the region has now gone up to three.

The journey of BJP from the margins to power, within a short span of five years, has been just phenomenal. The party drew a blank in the last assembly election, held in 2012.

The BJP in 2017 garnered the highest percentage of votes (36.3%) and bagged the second highest number of seats in Manipur, ending the hopes of Congress to form the government for fourth successive time in the state.

Besides chief minister Biren Singh, eight others also took oath as his council of ministers.

In the 60-member house, BJP emerged as the second largest party winning 21 seats, results of which were declared on Saturday.  The Congress won 28 seats.

With the support of National People’s Party (NPP), Naga People’s Front (NPF), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and a defected Congress legislator, the BJP soon staked claim to form government in the state.

The NPP, NPF have four seats each and LJP has one seat and all the three parties are part of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the centre.

Joykumar Singh of NPP would be Biren Singh’s deputy in the government. The other members of ministry are Thongam Biswajit, Langpoklakpam Jayentakumar, Karam Shyam, L Haokip, L Kiisi, Thounaojam Shyamkumar and L Dikko. 

The turn in electoral fortunes for the BJP in the region began since 2014 general elections. BJP bagged the highest number of seats in Assam then and soon two years later in 2016 formed the first ever government in the state. Few months later in December, defection in the Congress party helped BJP form the second government in Arunachal Pradesh. 

Biren Singh was with the Congress till last year, when he defected to BJP. 

Chief ministers of neighbouring states, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Sikkim, attended the searing-in ceremony of N Biren Singh in Imphal today.
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First Published: Mar 15 2017 | 5:51 PM IST

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