Congress MLA by his side, Biren begins saffron rule in Manipur

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) expansion in northeast got another boost on Wednesday with the swearing in of the state’s first saffron partyled coalition under the leadership of N Biren Singh.

Governor Najma Heptulla administered oath to Biren and eight other cabinet ministers, at the Raj Bhavan. Deputy chief minister Y Joykumar Singh and cabinet ministers Th Biswajit Singh, L Jayantakumar Singh, Karam Shyam, Letpao Haokip, N Kayisii, Th Shyamkumar and Losii Dikho took oath.

Besides Biren, Biswajit is the only BJP MLA in the cabinet. A total of four berths were allotted to National People’s Party, all four of the party’s MLAs were made ministers.

The lone Lok Janashakti Party MLA Karam Shyam, Naga People’s Front’s Dikho and Congress legislator Th Shyam Kumar, who joined the coalition after his election, completed the list.

A cabinet expansion is expected in another 10-12 days to accommodate more BJP legislators in the ministry, which can have a total of 12 ministers.

“I appeal to the United Naga Council to please lift the blockade on humanitarian grounds as innocent people are suffering. We can sit down and sort out (the issue),” Biren later said at a party function. Manipur has been reeling under an indefinite blockade of its two national highways by UNC since November 2016.

A corruption-free government and development of the valley and hills for a united Manipur will be the other priorities of the government, the 56-year-old said.

The biggest cheers during the swearing in ceremony were reserved for Shyamkumar from Congress, whose support was crucial in the coalition getting past the magic figure . “People are fed up of the Congress. I am ready to face any consequence,” he told HT after the swearing in.

Biren’s predecessor Congress’s Okram Ibobi Singh, who had also staked claim to form government, said:“Our game is over. We will sit in the opposition and play a constructive role.”