In the hills and valleys of the Northeast, as the saying goes, politics gets as fickle as the weather in the region. It took the BJP barely three years to find out that it’s easier to rise to the top than stay put. And this is only about Manipur.
On June 18, the Congress staked claim to form a government in the Northeastern state, a day after the BJP-led government was reduced to a minority in dramatic and quick-changing developments.
On Wednesday, nine MLAs, including three from the BJP, four from NPP, one from Trinamool Congress and one independent legislator, withdrew support to the BJP-led coalition government of chief minister N. Biren Singh.
In 2017, the Congress had won 28 seats and the BJP 21. The BJP, however, managed to form the government with the support of four NPP MLAs, four from the NPF, a lone member of the Trinamool Congress, one MLA of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and an independent member. The BJP also enjoyed the support of seven Congress MLAs, who are still members of the party but a case of their disqualification is pending in court. They cannot vote until the verdict is pronounced. The Manipur High Court restrained them from entering the assembly last week.
On June 18, the Congress-led Secular Progressive Front (SPF), with former chief minister O. Ibobi Singh at the helm, submitted a memorandum requesting Governor Najma Heptulla to convene a special assembly session to adopt a resolution on a no-confidence motion against the BJP government. “I hope that the minority BJP government in Manipur will be dismissed soon by the Governor. I also pray that the Indian Constitution will be upheld by all. In the interest of democracy and to uphold our Constitution, Manipur must have the new SPF government,” said Congress spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei after the team met the Governor in Imphal on Thursday. The strength of the Congress in the House is now 20, while that of the BJP, after resignation of three of its MLAs, has been reduced to 18.
The present ministry is supported by only 23 MLAs, 18 from the BJP, four from the NPF and one from the LJP. On the other hand, the SPF has 20 Congress MLAs, four NPP MLAs, one from the TMC and an independent MLA, totalling 26 members out of an effective total house strength of 49 members, claims the memorandum to the Governor. The Congress and the NPP have also sought removal of the assembly speaker Y. Khemchand Singh, terming him ‘authoritarian’.
By Abdul Gani in Guwahati