Imphal | Nongthombam Biren Singh, who was on Sunday elected BJP Legislature Party leader in Manipur, is likely to take oath as the Chief Minister for the second consecutive time within the next two to three days. Party sources gave this information. Soon after being elected the leader of the BJP Legislature Party, Singh along with Union ministers and observers met Governor La Ganesan at the Raj Bhavan here and staked claim to form the next government.
Ahead of Singh’s meeting with the governor, BJP’s central observer and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that Biren Singh had been unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party.
Sitharaman, along with co-supervisor Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sambit Patra, held a nearly two-hour-long meeting with newly elected BJP MLAs in Imphal.
Sitharaman, Rijiju, Yadav, Patra, State BJP President Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi and other leaders congratulated Biren Singh and presented him with bouquets.
The BJP has held a series of hectic meetings in Imphal and the national capital for 10 days after the announcement of the assembly election results before Biren Singh would continue as chief minister, even as a minister and influential BJP leader Thongam Biswajit Singh. There are also strong contenders for the top post.
Biren Singh later tweeted: “Very grateful to PM Narendra Modi and party president JP Nadda for entrusting me with the responsibility of serving as the leader of the legislature party. I thank every worker of BJP Manipur to bring back the BJP government today. I thank them for their tireless efforts.”
Sitharaman later told the media that it was a good unanimous decision (selection of Biren Singh) which would ensure that Manipur had a stable and responsible government.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Center pays special attention to the northeastern states. The BJP government will work for the welfare and betterment of all the people of Manipur,” he said.
Biren Singh, Vishwajit Singh, former Assembly Speaker Yumnam Khemchand Singh, the third contender for the top post along with state BJP president, went to Delhi twice within a week and held several meetings with BJP central leaders to discuss the name.
On Saturday night, state leaders held a marathon meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Nadda and other central leaders in Delhi and discussed government formation.
The BJP secured a modest majority of 32 MLAs in the 60-member assembly.
BJP sources said former football player and journalist-turned-politician Biren Singh, 61, will take oath within the next two to three days and take over as the new chief minister.
Ministers from Singh’s new cabinet will also take oath at the upcoming swearing-in ceremony. Former Congress leader Biren Singh joined the BJP in October 2016 and won the February-March assembly election from his traditional Hingang constituency for a record 5th time.
A 1981-batch Bachelor of Arts from Manipur University, Biren Singh was born in Luwangsangbam Mamang Leikai, Imphal.
He was a football player, later joined the Border Security Force (BSF) and played for the BSF team in domestic competitions.
