Four NPP ministers resign from BJP-led govt in Manipur

GUWAHATI: The BJP-led coalition government in Manipur suffered a huge blow after three BJP MLAs resigned and joined opposition Congress while its two allies withdrew their support to the government on Wednesday.
It allies, NPP and TMC, and an Independent, having a combined strength of six legislators, including deputy chief minister Y Joykumar (NPP), withdrew their support to BJP-led government.
The shift in the political equilibrium in the 60-member house has come ahead of the Rajya Sabha election on Friday in which BJP is fielding the titular king of Manipur Leishmba Sanajaoba as its candidate.
Welcoming the three new entrants from BJP, former CM and opposition leader Okram Ibobi Singh said, "The present state government led by BJP has lost the trust of its coalition partners. We have proposed setting up a Secular Progressive Front. Tomorrow we will go together to the governor and stake claim to form the government.”
Technically, the strength of the 60-member house stands reduced to 49 because seven Congress MLAs, who had supported the BJP led coalition government and are facing disqualification cases, have been recently barred from entering the assembly by the high court. An eighth Congress legislator has already been disqualified and the three BJP MLAs who resigned from the party on Wednesday also stand disqualified.
Manipur unit BJP leaders, while confirming the developments, said that new strategies may also come equally from their side.
The BJP MLAs who resigned are K Subhashchandra, TT Haokip and Samule Jendai, while six legislators, who withdrew support from the coalition government include deputy CM Y Joykumar Singh and ministers L Jayantakumar Singh, N Kayasii and Letpao Haokip of the NPP, Independent Ashab Uddin and lone TMC MLA T Robindro Singh.
In 2017, Congress won 28 seats, while BJP got 21 seats and formed the government with 33 legislatures—four MLAs each from NPP and NPF and one each from TMC, LJP and an Independent in addition to a Congress legislature, who defected from the party. Later, seven Congress MLAs defected from the party and supported the BJP which took coalition strength to 40.