Rebel NPP MLAs back in fold

GUWAHATI/NEW DELHI : Eight days after they withdrew support to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led ruling coalition in Manipur, all four National People’s Party (NPP) legislators pledged their support to the ruling coalition on Thursday.

The MLAs met governor Najma Heptulla the Raj Bhawan in Imphal and backed the government. All four are likely to be re-inducted as ministers soon,

“A delegation of National People’s Party led by Conrad Sangma along with Himanta Biswa Sarma called on me and all the 4 MLAs gave their letter of support to the BJP led government in the state of Manipur,” Heptulla tweeted.

The development came a day after lawmakers, who flew out of Imphal on Tuesday, met Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda in New Delhi. They were accompanied by NPP chief and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma and senior Assam minister and convener of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“Both leaders gave us a very patient hearing and all issues which were there we expressed them all in detail to them. They have understood what the problem is and have assured that all issues will be addressed and taken care of,” Sangma told journalists.

But the Delhi meeting may have upset some sections of the state BJP unit with two senior leaders expressing their opposition to any deal struck with the NPP. “They put the party in a spot. They tried to pull out support at the last minute and when they realised the BJP government will not topple, they agreed to come back with conditions,” said a senior party leader on condition of anonymity. A second leader said the BJP would complete its full term.