BJP set to form Government in Manipur

In a thrilling and controversial finale of the Assembly elections in Manipur, the BJP is all set to form the government in the State with the support of three regional parties — Naga People’s Front (NPF) National Peoples Party (NPP) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) — and the support of another MLA, whose name the party has kept under wraps.
BJP leaders along with representatives of the regional parties met Governor Najma Heptulla late on Sunday evening, giving her a list of 31 MLAs, and staking claim to form the government in the 60-member Assembly.
The day began with the alleged dramatic abduction of Independent MLA Ashad Uddin, who the Congress said was on their side. The evening was no less dramatic as important Congress MLA Congress T. Shyamkumar, elected from Andro, surprised everyone by visiting the Raj Bhawan with BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma and offering a letter of support to the BJP led combine.
Further weakening the Congress camp, T. Robindro Singh from the Trinamool Congress whom the Congress was counting on their side, also moved to the BJP camp.
“We have the support of 31 members required to form the government. The letter from the 31st MLA will reach the Governor soon,” BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said at a press conference where the representatives of the regional parties were also present. He refused to disclose the name of the 31st MLA. The tally announced by the BJP with its 21 MLAs, and the NPP and the NPF with four each and one from the LJP, adds up to 30.
According to the Congress leadership, Mr. Uddin, 55, an Independent who won from Jiribam, had assured the Congress of his support. However, when he reached the Imphal airport, with another Congress leader Abdul Nasir, he was taken away by BJP leaders, it alleged. “ At the behest of the BJP, Independent candidate Asab Uddin... has been detained by the CISF and flown to an unknown location,” Senior Congress leader C.P. Joshi, who is in Manipur, said on social media.
Supporters of the Congress and the BJP had gathered outside the airport for hours. According to reports, Mr. Uddin was taken away in a private chartered flight.
As soon as the reports of Mr. Uddin having gone missing emerged, the mood at the Congress Legislature Party meeting at the party headquarters turned sombre. Okram Ibobi Singh, the Chief Minister since 2002, who was unanimously elected leader of the Congress legislature Party, evaded questions from the media on government formation. Congress leaders insisted that the party had the number. But with the Independent MLA gone, the Congress’s tally can reach to 29 seats. With the defection of Mr. Shyamkumar, the number of Congress MLAs will come down to 27 from 28.
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, along with Assam Minister and BJP leader of the region Himata Biswa Sarma, said the party would decide on its chief ministerial candidate at a meeting on Monday, in presence of central observers. According to sources in the party, the two top contenders are N. Biren Singh, who was elected from Heingang, and T. Biswajit Singh from Thongju.
Mr. Madhav said the allies had come to the BJP as “they are all birds of same feather and the vote in Manipur has been against the Congress.” Conrad K Sangma, the son of former Speaker P.A. Sangma and NPP president, said it was natural for him to ally with the BJP. “Manipur needs a change and we should be part of it, We will work together on a common minimum plan,” he said.
LJP MLA Karam Shyam said party leader Ram Vilas Paswan had asked him to ally with the BJP.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Taiwan launches first ever home-grown submarine project

Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen launched the island's first ever home-grown submarine project on Tuesday in the face of what the government says are growing military threats from the mainland.  The move comes after Beijing sent its only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, through the Taiwan Strait in January, in one of a number of military drills held as relations deteriorate.  Taiwan last week warned of an increased invasion risk from the mainland and has pledged to boost its military in response.  Tsai called the launch of the submarine plan a "historic moment" at a naval base in the southern city of Kaohsiung.  She was presiding over a formal signing ceremony to initiate the project between the navy, Taiwanese shipbuilder CSBS Corporation and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, which develops combat system integration.  Delivery of the submarine is expected to take eight years and is part of the island's "indigenous defence policy
Read more

World's friable cities need a $78 trillion impulse

More people are living in urban areas than rural, making cities the world’s modern battlegrounds. The urban population is seen rising to 70% by 2050 from 55% in 2016, and its share of gross domestic product will almost double to $115 trillion by 2030. Getting city development right will be a big factor in eliminating poverty, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and this will need serious money. “More than 80% of the world’s cities show signs of fragility yet the success or failure in meeting the world’s most pressing challenges will be decided in them,” BAML analysts, led by Sarbjit Nahal, London-based head of thematic investing, wrote in a report this month. Infrastructure will need $71 trillion to $78 trillion in investment over the next decade, and the “smart city” market will grow to about $1.6 trillion by 2020 from $1 trillion now, they estimate. Urbanization helped lift 500 million Chinese out of poverty and the World Bank estimates that a 230% increase in a country’s
Read more

Second Joint Army Exercise Between India and Oman: Al Nagah-li

Second edition of the joint exercise between the Indian and Oman Armies commenced today with the Opening Ceremony at Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. The training contingents comprised of platoon strength from both the Armies, which will be validated over 2-3 days by senior military observers of both the countries. The previous edition of the Exercise was held at Muscat, Oman in 2015.  The aim of this exercise is to acquaint both forces with each other’s operating procedures, improve the interoperability in conducting joint operations in the backdrop of counter insurgency/ counter terrorism environment as also to enhance the existing military relationship between the Indian Army and the Royal Army of Oman. 
Read more