Four more sitting Cong MLAs switch over to BJP in Manipur

THE DEFECTIONS CAME A DAY AFTER CONGRESS VICEPRESIDENT RAHUL GANDHI ASKED LEADERS FROM THE NORTHEAST TO NOT JUMP SHIP

IMPHAL: In a major setback to Manipur Congress, four more sitting party MLAs defected to the arch-rival BJP on Friday. The lone Trinamool Congress MLA in the north-eastern state, T Robindro, also became a part of the saffron party on the day.

Chief minister N Biren Singh, state BJP president K Bhabananda and Assam’s finance minister Hemanta Biswa Sarma welcomed the four Congress MLAs — S Bira Singh,Y Surchandra Singh, Ngamthang Haokip and O Lukhoi Singh — and Robindro during a function at the party office here.

Five-time MLA Haokip said he and his colleagues had joined the BJP because of the ‘integrity’ displayed by chief minister Singh, who had played an instrumental role in uplifting the 100day blockade that had crippled the state.

The defections came a day after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi asked leaders from the northeast to reach out to the disgruntled local partymen in their respective states in order to stop them from jumping ship.

Chairing a meeting of the party’s coordination committee for north-eastern states on Thursday, Gandhi had also stressed on the need to stop the BJP surge in the region and thwart any attempts by the saffron party to create dissensions in the Congress ranks.

The committee, headed by Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma and consisting of former chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur — Nabam Tuki and Okram Ibobi Singh respectively— also discussed the strategy they should follow in order to strengthen the party in the northeast.

The latest set of defections come close on the heels of Congress MLAs Ginsuanhau and Th Shyamkumar joining the BJP. The Congress’ strength in the 60-member state assembly has now come down to 22 from the original 28.

The Congress had emerged as the largest party in the state after the assembly elections held in March but failed to form the government. The BJP, which had emerged second with 21 seats, managed to form the government with the backing of local leaders and independent candidates.

Commenting on Congress MLAs decision to join the BJP, chief minister Singh said: “This shows that public continues to support the new government’s initiative to live together in the state. So we should not ignore their support.”