Imphal, Jan. 25: Two Congress MLAs and Trinamool Congress state unit president and former MP formally joined the Bharatita Janata Party (BJP) in the poll bound Manipur during a colourful reception function at its state unit office at Keishampat here on Wednesday. Manipur goes to polls on March 4 and 8 next.
BJP’s national general secretary Ram Madhav and newly floated North East Democratic Alliance’s convenor and Assam minister Hemanta Biswa Sharma, BJP state unit president Kh Bhabananda, state election committee leader Th Chaoba and state leaders who got party tickets for the ensuing assembly election besides those yet to get party tickets attended the reception function of two MLAs and one ex-MP.
The two Congress MLAs are Nemcha Kipgen (Kangpokpi) and Vungjagin Valte (Thanlon) and ex-MP and former state Trinamool Congress Kim Gangte. Though the reason for joining BJP in case of ex-MP Kim Gangte was not properly pronounced, two former Congress MLAs felt that BJP is the only option to bring a change in Manipur. Ex-MP could not be contacted for her comment.
With the day’s entry, so far six Congress MLAs including three former ministers joined into BJP fold.
The other three former ministers are senior-most Congress leader and former Food and Civil Supplies, Education and Public Health Engineering minister Yumkham Erabot, former Irrigation and Flood Control Minister, Nongthombam Biren and former Rural Development minister Francis Ngajokpa. Erabot left Congress on September 12, Biren on October 6 followed by Francis on October 13 last year. The other former MLA was Kikhonbou Newmai of Tamei constituency.
With the joining of these MLAs in the BJP, the strength of Congress in the 60 member House has gone down to 47. Lok Jana Sakti and BJP have one MLA each in the State Assembly.
On December 21 last year, two Manipur MLAs, one from BJP Kh Joykishan of Thangmeiband constituency and the other Nationalist Congress Party L Ibomcha of Keishamthong constituency also joined the ruling Congress. Another Congress MLA Janghemlung Panmei had already tendered his resignation from the party and from the post of MLA last year.
