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Govt formation in Manipur delayed due to parliament session; decision likely after Holi
On Monday, the BJP parliamentary board had appointed Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union law and justice minister Kiren Rijiju as central observer and co-observer respectively for election of the leader of the Manipur BJP legislature party.
More than a week after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a majority to return to power in Manipur for a second consecutive term there is no clear indication on when the next government will take charge or who will head it.
On Thursday, senior party leader and a minister in the previous government Th Biswajit Singh said that the reports doing the rounds in the media on the issue are speculations. Apart from caretaker Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Biswajit’s name is also cropping up as a potential candidate for the top post.
“I can’t say anything on the issue (who will be CM) as on date because we had a meeting in Delhi as per schedule fixed by the party. But there was no other discussion beyond our celebrations for the party’s victory in the assembly polls and also to review the results of the elections,” Biswajit told reporters in Imphal on his return from Delhi.
“I won’t like to comment on speculations in the media (on the issue of government formation). We expect the central observers to come soon to Manipur. But parliament is in session and the festival of Holi is also coming. But no date has been fixed for their visit,” he added.
On Monday, the BJP parliamentary board had appointed Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union law and justice minister Kiren Rijiju as central observer and co-observer respectively for election of the leader of the Manipur BJP legislature party.
Biswajit also rejected speculations that there were divisions within the BJP with some supporting him for the CM’s post while others rooting for N Biren Singh.
“We don’t have any group among ourselves. That’s for sure. BJP is a democratic party and that’s why the central observers have been appointed (to oversee the government formation process). They will have discussions with all MLAs and decide on the leader,” he said.
BJP Manipur unit president A Sarda Devi, who had also gone to Delhi along with N. Biren Singh and Th. Biswajit Singh to meet the party leadership, stated that central observers will announce the name of the BJP’s legislature party leader only after Holi celebrations are over.
In the recently concluded Manipur polls, BJP secured 32 of the total 60 seats while the National People’s Party (NPP), a coalition partner of the BJP in the previous government, became the second largest party with seven seats.
Congress and Naga People’s Front (NPF), another BJP ally, secured five seats each. The Janata Dal (U) secured six, newly floated Kuki People’s Alliance two seats while Independent candidates won three seats.
There are indications that while NPP, JD (U) and two Independent MLAs will be part of the next government, NPP could be left out. BJP is a minor partner of the NPP-led government in Meghalaya.
Caretaker Chief minister N Biren Singh who also arrived in Imphal from Delhi on a different flight said there was no discussion with party leaders on the issue of government formation. The visit to Delhi was to discuss election results and what steps the government should take in the next five years.
“We will follow decisions taken by our party leaders,” he said when questioned about formation of the next government and who would be the CM.
