Manipur CM Biren launches campaign for Nov. bypoll

P. Brojen, one of the six Congress MLAs who had resigned, is contesting from this constituency as the BJP candidate.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh with BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav (R) in New Delhi. File photo

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren on Wednesday formally launched the election campaign at the Wangjing Tentha constituency for the November bypolls.

P. Brojen, one of the six Congress MLAs who had resigned , is contesting from this constituency as the BJP candidate.

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During the campaign, Mr. Biren said that the important bridges along the 222-km long NH 37 were weak, wobbly and posed a deadly threat to the drivers and passengers. The NH 37 was without RCC bridges and his BJP-led government has started constructing bridges. He also stressed the good works done by his government.

Meanwhile, M. Ramani, Manipur Assembly secretary, said, “Altogether 13 seats out of the 60-member House are vacant” However, she could not say whether bypolls would be held in all the 13 vacant seats because some cases were pending in the law courts as some disqualification orders were being challenged. She said, “The party-wise MLAs are BJP 18, the INC 17, the NPP four, the Naga People’s Front four and one each from the LJP and the AITMC”.

Three BJP MLAs had resigned from the party and Speaker Y. Khemchand had accepted the same.

Out of the six MLAs who resigned from the Congress, five joined the BJP. But Abdul Nasir has not yet decided on joining the BJP, saying he would first take suggestions from the people of his constituency.

Congress Legislature Party leader O. Ibobi said, “This time the people will teach a lesson to those MLAs who had resigned and joined some other parties for their selfish political ends. People had voted them for five years and not to hop parties for personal gains.”

There is a political setback for the six former Congress MLAs. Mr. Biren took them and R.K. Imo, the unattached MLA who had voted for the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha elections, to meet the BJP national leaders. Though some leaders had met them, Union Home Minister Amit Shah declined to do so.

The BJP office in Mr. Brojen’s constituency said that they had maintained SOP during the election campaign meeting.