Our Correspondent
Imphal, March 13: Manipur’s political drama after March 4 and 8 assembly elections is likely to get over within a short span of time as both the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staked claim to form a new government and take up necessary steps towards formalizing the next government while the people are celebrating Yaoshang, the Manipuri version holi.
Now all eyes are on Raj Bhavan in Imphal to see whether the BJP-led coalition which claims enough numbers or the single largest party Congress with 28 elected members, would get the invitation to form the next government.
But there was no report of inviting either the Congress or the BJP to form the government from the Raj Bhavan, Imphal till the time this report went to press.s
Meanwhile as pronounced earlier in the day, incumbent chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh reportedly tendered his resignation from his post around 8.30 pm. However Ibobi who was accompanied by a senior Congress leader while visiting Raj Bhavan did not disclose anything to the media persons who were stationed at the Raj Bhavan gate.
Informing that Congress should be invited to form the government since it was the single largest party, Ibobi who was elected Congress legislature party leader, told the press that his party will prove majority on the floor ‘when situation demands.’ He also rejected speculations over the possibility of some Congress MLAs moving to BJP camp. But only 27 elected Congress members were seen. Congress MLA Th Shyamkumar who was reported to have joined the BJP collation.
Minutes after the media interaction at the Congress camp, BJP’s Nongthombam Biren Singh was elected as the legislature party leader following a 4-hour meeting of the newly elected BJP members in a hotel here on Monday evening. With this, the party plans to meet governor Dr Najma A Heptulla to stake claim to form the government.
Union MoS Minister (Power) Piyush Goyal who was appointed as party’s observer for Manipur accompanied by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar and BJP Manipur President Kh Bhabananda led BJP leaders, made an announcement in this regard soon after the meeting.
On Sunday night, BJP also reportedly submitted a list of 32 MLAs claiming majority in Manipur's 60-member assembly to the Governor and furnished letters of support from regional parties including National People’s Party (NPP) which have won 4 seats in the March 4 and 8 elections.
BJP, which won 21 seats, claimed the support of Naga People’s Front (4), NPP(4), LokJan Sakti Party (1) and two others-lone Independent Ashab Uddin and Tongbram Robindro, who was elected on a Trinamool Congress ticket.
According to IANS: Manipur chief minister Ibobi Singh, who had claimed to have the numbers on his side, resigned on Monday evening under pressure from the Governor.
He had claimed to enjoy the support of four MLAs of the NPP on the basis of a letter he got from the party soon after the declaration of the assembly results.
However, Vivekraj Wangkhem, general secretary of the NPP, said: "There have been changes. We have decided to support the BJP. This is final. There is no question of our party supporting the Congress even if Ibobi Singh is given a chance."
Heptulla pointed out to Ibobi Singh that just a letter of support would not suffice. She insisted on the physical presence of the four NPP MLAs, which under the changed scenario seemed only next to possible, and the chief minister was forced to resign.
