Little changes, but spirit of NDA will restore stability of Manipur govt: Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: Chairman of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the mini NDA of northeast, and Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that there will be some changes in the ‘architecture’ of the alliance but the spirit of ‘NEDA and NDA’ will prevail to bring stability to Manipur’s BJP-led coalition government.
“I think the situation is more or less under control and all issues are being resolved with the spirit of NEDA and NDA. There is nothing to worry about,” Sarma said.
He added that all complaints and grievances within the coalition partners as well as within BJP will be resolved. The change of leadership of chief minister N Biren Singh is one of the grievances within the coalition and Sarma said, “I do not want to elaborate but everything will be resolved with the principle of friendship and spirit of NEDA and NDA.”
The government suffered severe damage after BJP’s two allies, NPP and AITC and an Independent legislator, withdrew support while its three own MLAs resigned from the party and defected to Congress on June 17. Sarma went to Imphal with NPP national president and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma to jointly assess the situation from the ground.
When asked if NPP and other allies who have gone out are set to return, Sarma did not give a direct answer. “Basically the architecture (of the coalition) will be a little different but more or less we are continuing with the spirit of NEDA and NDA.”
“We are talking to each other and all and our discussions are in very, very positive lines and things will be resolved nicely. You will see the results in a day or two,” Sarma added.
Sarma’s guarded statements gave clear indications of BJP’s new objective to improve its own strength in the house by grabbing as many seats as possible when the bye-elections to eight vacant seats are held. Seven of these seats fell vacant after the speaker on the eve of the Rajya Sabha election disqualified the three BJP MLAs, three Congress MLAs, who had defected to BJP in 2017 apart from the lone AITC member. Another Congress defector, former forest minister Thounoujam Shyamkumar, was disqualified in March.
“You can’t say the same picture will remain. After the Rajya Sabha election many MLAs have been disqualified and Manipur will now have to go for a major bye-election. Once the Speaker has announced his verdict (disqualification) it cannot be revoked,” Sarma said.
In 2017 assembly polls to the 60-members house, Congress finished as the single largest party with 28 seats, but BJP won 21 and stitched a coalition with NPP, AITC, NPF, LJP and an Independent to form the government with a total strength of 32. Later eight Congress MLAs defectors supported BJP and the coalition strength rose to 40 while Congress numbers were reduced to 20. After one of the Congress defectors, former forest minister Thounoujam Shyamkuamr was disqualified in March, the effective strength of the house came down to 59 and that of the coalition’s to 39.
The coalition’s strength was reduced to 30 in the house after pull out by nine MLAs on June 17 the government was seen as a minority government with 23 members taking into account the disqualification cases of seven Congress defectors to BJP’s fold since 2017 were waiting for the speaker’s verdict following the high court’s order.
Opposition Congress with support of BJP’s former allies staked claim to form the next government and moved governor Najma Heptulla for a special session of assembly to try a non-confidence motion against the chief minister.
But, with some last minute political maneuvering, BJP managed win the Rajya Sabha election held on June 19 and saved itself from an imminent humiliation with 28 votes to opposition’s 24 votes in a truncated house of 52 members after speaker disqualified seven members.