BJP's Biren Singh wins Manipur floor test, gets support of 32 MLAs

GUWAHATI: The BJP-led government has won the floor test in Manipur by a voice vote. The Nongthombam Biren Singh government secured 32 votes in favour in a House of 60.

Single MLAs of the Trinamool Congress and Lok Janshakti Party, Independent Asab Uddin and a Congress MLA inducted as minister supported the government motion.

BJP has 21 MLAs and Congress 28 MLAs in the House. The government also has the support of the Naga Peoples' Front and the National Peoples' Party, which have 4 MLAs, each, in the House.

Trinamool MLA T Robindro Singh said that he extended support to BJP government after consulting his party leadership but the Trinamool central leadership denied the claim, while saying that he had "not consulted the party."

Singh is likely to face action under the anti-defection Act. Trinamool vice-president Mukul Roy later told PTI: "After winning the election, Singh was in touch with the Congress as we had told him that if the Congress is able to form the government and need our support we will extend our support.

But the Congress failed to get the numbers and Singh, without discussing the matter with us, went to meet the BJP leaders and accompanied them to the Raj Bhavan," he said. When asked why the party has not taken any disciplinary action against him, Roy said, "We can take disciplinary action anytime, but we do not want to create a situation where he faces life risk."

Earlier, Yumnam Khemchand Singh of the BJP was elected as the new Speaker of the House.