The BJP in Manipur received a shot in the arm after the state governor invited&nbsp;Nongthombam Biren Singh to take oath as the state&#39;s next chief minister on Wednesday afternoon (March 15).

Governor Najma Heptullah said the decision was made as she was satisfied with BJP&#39;s claim of having more than 31 lawmakers -- the majority number -- on their side.

BJP steals a march over Congress in Manipur too

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s nationalist outfit has seemingly outmanoeuvred the party with highest number of seats in the recently-concluded Manipur elections.

The incumbent head of Manipur, in northeast India, Okram Ibobi Singh had to step down on Monday night (March 13) despite the Congress party winning 28 seats against BJP&#39;s 21.

But Modi&#39;s BJP has managed to forge partnerships with the regional parties to claim they have the majority, much like they have done in Goa.

On Monday, the BJP said they had received support from National People&#39;s Party (four seats), Naga People&#39;s Front (four), Lok Janshakti Party (one) and damagingly, one lawmaker who has defected from the Congress.

The BJP has chosen N Biren Singh to head the next government in Manipur.

Ibobi Singh reacted by saying he had the backing of National People&#39;s Party, but that was dismissed by the NPP later, forcing the incumbent chief minister to step down.

Manipur governor Najma Heptulla asked Ibobi Singh to resign, echoing events in Goa where the BJP has stolen a march over the Congress. There too, Congress had won the most number of seats (17) in the recent elections but Modi&#39;s party managed to cobble up the required number to stake their claim on government formation.

There are also unconfirmed rumours that a further 10 Congress lawmakers are planning to defect to the BJP in the state of Manipur.&nbsp;

Media reports suggest that Ibobi Singh has kept his flock of 27 lawmakers at one place to hinder them from switching loyalties.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

Narendra Modi's BJP had claimed their stake on government formation, forcing Congress' Ibobi Singh to step down as chief minister of Manipur

The BJP in Manipur received a shot in the arm after the state governor invited Nongthombam Biren Singh to take oath as the state's next chief minister on Wednesday afternoon (March 15). Governor Najma Heptullah said the decision was made as she was satisfied with BJP's claim of having more than 31 lawmakers -- the majority number -- on their side. BJP steals a march over Congress in Manipur too Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist outfit has seemingly outmanoeuvred the party with highest number of seats in the recently-concluded Manipur elections. The incumbent head of Manipur, in northeast India, Okram Ibobi Singh had to step down on Monday night (March 13) despite the Congress party winning 28 seats against BJP's 21. But Modi's BJP has managed to forge partnerships with the regional parties to claim they have the majority, much like they have done in Goa. On Monday, the BJP said they had received support from National People's Party (four seats), Naga People's Front (four), Lok Janshakti Party (one) and damagingly, one lawmaker who has defected from the Congress. The BJP has chosen N Biren Singh to head the next government in Manipur. Ibobi Singh reacted by saying he had the backing of National People's Party, but that was dismissed by the NPP later, forcing the incumbent chief minister to step down. Manipur governor Najma Heptulla asked Ibobi Singh to resign, echoing events in Goa where the BJP has stolen a march over the Congress. There too, Congress had won the most number of seats (17) in the recent elections but Modi's party managed to cobble up the required number to stake their claim on government formation. There are also unconfirmed rumours that a further 10 Congress lawmakers are planning to defect to the BJP in the state of Manipur. Media reports suggest that Ibobi Singh has kept his flock of 27 lawmakers at one place to hinder them from switching loyalties. (WION with inputs from agencies)

BJP invited to form government in Manipur

Outgoing Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh resigned today after Governor Najma Heptullah said she could not start the process of government formation in the state that has got a hung Assembly, till he quits.

Singh, who had earlier today said he would resign by tomorrow, submitted his resignation papers to the Governor, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam told PTI.

Singh has been arguing that Congress being the single largest party with 28 seats, he should be given the first opportunity to form the government.

&quot;I am ready for a floor test and I have the numbers with me,&quot; said Singh.

Heptullah, however, said earlier that she could only start the process of government formation once the incumbent chief minister resigned as per norms.

&quot;I have not received till today any resignation from the chief minister (O Ibobi Singh) though I told him yesterday I can start the process of government formation only after you resign,&quot; Heptullah said.

As per rules, until the present chief minister resigns, the process of government formation cannot be started, said a highly-placed Raj Bhavan source.

Singh, who has been serving as chief minister for 15 years since 2002, was elected as leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) yesterday and had staked claim to form the government late last night. 
 
(PTI)

Governor Najma Heptullah had said she could not start the process of government formation in the state till he quit

Outgoing Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh resigned today after Governor Najma Heptullah said she could not start the process of government formation in the state that has got a hung Assembly, till he quits. Singh, who had earlier today said he would resign by tomorrow, submitted his resignation papers to the Governor, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam told PTI. Singh has been arguing that Congress being the single largest party with 28 seats, he should be given the first opportunity to form the government. "I am ready for a floor test and I have the numbers with me," said Singh. Heptullah, however, said earlier that she could only start the process of government formation once the incumbent chief minister resigned as per norms. "I have not received till today any resignation from the chief minister (O Ibobi Singh) though I told him yesterday I can start the process of government formation only after you resign," Heptullah said. As per rules, until the present chief minister resigns, the process of government formation cannot be started, said a highly-placed Raj Bhavan source. Singh, who has been serving as chief minister for 15 years since 2002, was elected as leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) yesterday and had staked claim to form the government late last night. (PTI)

Ibobi Singh resigns as Manipur chief minister

Congress edged out BJP in the state as the poll battle ended in a virtual shoot-out as leads kept changing throughout the day. Congress beat BJP by winning 28 seats to 21, though the former has fallen agonisingly short of the half-way mark to form the government.

The Congress have bucked predictions made by several exit polls to beat the BJP. &nbsp;

In the high-profile contest in Thoubal, &#39;Iron Lady&#39; of Manipur Irom Sharmila lost to the incumbent chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

Sharmila managed to garner only 90 votes, according to the Election Commission of India.

Reacting to the heavy loss, Sharmila said she would not contest the next state elections and would concentrate on fighting the menace of the army in her state. &nbsp;

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I want to quit fighting any type of election: Irom Sharmila after losing election <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ElectionResults?src=hash">#ElectionResults</a> <a href="https://t.co/ednIn2MCow">pic.twitter.com/ednIn2MCow</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/840534819238944768">March 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Sharmila, a renowned civil rights activist who went on a hunger strike for 16 years to protest army&#39;s unchecked power in the state, had floated a party of her own -- Peoples&#39; Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRAJA) -- to contest this state election.

&nbsp;

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Manipur: Supporters of CM Okram Ibobi Singh, who has won from Thoubal seat, celebrate <a href="https://t.co/Vhf6gemFPh">pic.twitter.com/Vhf6gemFPh</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/840461281450708992">March 11, 2017</a></blockquote>
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But the end result shows she failed to make a dent in these elections.&nbsp;

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Early trends show Irom Sharmila trailing on the Imphal seat, Manipur (WION)
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Congress candidates who won included Md Abdul Naser and K Jaikishen Singh.&nbsp;N Biren Singh, a key BJP leader, emerged victorious from Heingang Assembly seat. BJP nominees who won included Sapam R Singh and Heikham Dingo Singh.&nbsp;Y Jaikumar Singh and Langpoklakpam J Singh of Nationalist People&#39;s Party (NPP) emerged victorious from Uripok and Keishamthong seat, respectively.

The Naga People&#39;s Front won from Mao (ST), Tamei (ST) and Phungyar (ST) seats.&nbsp;Lokjanshakti party won Langthabal seat.&nbsp;

Elections in the state were held in two phases -- the first phase was held on March 4 and the second on March 8.&nbsp;The elections were held for 60 seats.&nbsp;

(WION)

Irom Sharmila managed to garner only 90 votes in her fight against chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh in Thoubal seat

Congress edged out BJP in the state as the poll battle ended in a virtual shoot-out as leads kept changing throughout the day. Congress beat BJP by winning 28 seats to 21, though the former has fallen agonisingly short of the half-way mark to form the government. The Congress have bucked predictions made by several exit polls to beat the BJP. In the high-profile contest in Thoubal, 'Iron Lady' of Manipur Irom Sharmila lost to the incumbent chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh. Sharmila managed to garner only 90 votes, according to the Election Commission of India. Reacting to the heavy loss, Sharmila said she would not contest the next state elections and would concentrate on fighting the menace of the army in her state. I want to quit fighting any type of election: Irom Sharmila after losing election #ElectionResults pic.twitter.com/ednIn2MCow — ANI (@ANI_news) March 11, 2017 × Sharmila, a renowned civil rights activist who went on a hunger strike for 16 years to protest army's unchecked power in the state, had floated a party of her own -- Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRAJA) -- to contest this state election. Manipur: Supporters of CM Okram Ibobi Singh, who has won from Thoubal seat, celebrate pic.twitter.com/Vhf6gemFPh — ANI (@ANI_news) March 11, 2017 × But the end result shows she failed to make a dent in these elections. Early trends show Irom Sharmila trailing on the Imphal seat, Manipur (WION) × Congress candidates who won included Md Abdul Naser and K Jaikishen Singh. N Biren Singh, a key BJP leader, emerged victorious from Heingang Assembly seat. BJP nominees who won included Sapam R Singh and Heikham Dingo Singh. Y Jaikumar Singh and Langpoklakpam J Singh of Nationalist People's Party (NPP) emerged victorious from Uripok and Keishamthong seat, respectively. The Naga People's Front won from Mao (ST), Tamei (ST) and Phungyar (ST) seats. Lokjanshakti party won Langthabal seat. Elections in the state were held in two phases -- the first phase was held on March 4 and the second on March 8. The elections were held for 60 seats. (WION)

Manipur Assembly Elections: BJP fails to dislodge Congress, Irom Sharmila loses

It doesn&rsquo;t take long to understand that the elections in India&#39;s northeast Manipur state is being fought solely on the issue of territorial integrity of the state. Instead of development being the salient&nbsp;talking point, politics in Manipur is revolving around the Naga Accord which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed in 2015.

Though basic issues like corruption, lack of development, extra judicial killings, ecological issues and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)&nbsp;remain alive but it is the more than three-month-long blockade organised by the Naga community in Manipur that continues to remain the biggest issue.

Senior BJP leaders are quick to blame Manipur chief minister Ibobi Singh of 15 years for carving out seven new districts right before the state elections. They point out this is the reason for the intense violence that has gripped the state.&nbsp;

&ldquo;The message went out that the decision was political in nature. He had earlier claimed that he would carve the districts till consensus evolves and then he took the decision suo motto,&rdquo; said Kiren Rejiju minister of state for home affairs.

Though Congress defended the decision as a routine administrative matter but the message which went out was that the state government undermined the concept of Nagalim (Greater Nagaland), leading to unrest in Naga-dominated Manipuri areas.&nbsp;

The result of the decision was a massive blockade which threw life out of gear in Manipur. While Manipur chief minister blamed the BJP-led federal government for inadequate support, the BJP blamed the Congress for fishing in troubled waters.

&ldquo;The decision to carve out the district was an administrative matter but the Centre must show us the Naga draft. It is the silence on this issue which has created so much anxiety in the state,&rdquo; said senior Congress leader Imran ul Kidwai in Imphal.&nbsp;

The accord which was signed in 2015 has not been made public owing to security issues. It is this opaqueness that has vexed the average Manipuri though BJP claims that not an iota of land would be ceded and territorial compromise is a political jumla.

&ldquo;There is no mention of Manipur in the accord. I can vouch for it. There is no compromise on territory,&rdquo; said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is in-charge of India&#39;s northeast.

The gravity of the situation has even coerced&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publically assert that territorial integrity of Manipur would not be tampered with.

The campaign acoustics of the two national parties have varied as well.

Congress&#39; Ibobi Singh is overseeing a low-profile campaign whereas BJP has gone in the opposite direction.

BJP&rsquo;s campaign is high-pitched,&nbsp;with senior leaders campaigning in Imphal. BJP also doesn&rsquo;t have a chief ministerial face. It feels content in projecting Modi as the face of its campaign.

It has also taken up the sensitive issue of extrajudicial killings in the restive state.&nbsp;The party has promised that people responsible would be brought to book.

&ldquo;We have made blockade an issue because it is being used politically by the Congress,&rdquo; said Jitendra Singh, minister of state in Prime Minister&rsquo;s office. &nbsp;

BJP wants to build this narrative of blockades and lack of development without getting into the Naga issue directly. Congress differs. Imran Kidwai says that Manipur has witness an&nbsp;all-round development in the state under their tenure.

Though what is surprising is that Iron Sharmila who fought several federal governments&nbsp;on AFSPA and became a prominent public figure from Manipur has not been able to leverage her reputation in the political domain. Her cash-strapped campaign has remained subdued even though the draconian army law continues to remain in place in several parts of the state.

AFSPA is special powers granted by the Indian parliament to the armed forces to maintain or restore normalcy in &quot;troubled areas&quot;.

Certain issues which are ecological in nature like health of Loktak lake -- India&rsquo;s biggest fresh water lake -- has come into prominence like a metaphor. &ldquo;More money we sent to clean the river, the dirtier it became,&rdquo; said federal government&#39;s&nbsp;Jitendra Singh.&nbsp;

But why so much of Manipur in public discourse?

It is because of the importance the RSS, or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- the parent organisation of BJP -- puts on the frontier regions of the country.

It is this reason why both Kashmir and the Northeast are&nbsp;being personally handled by Ram Madhav, who was inducted into BJP from RSS before Lok Sabha elections in 2014.

Poll victories in Kashmir and Assam gave legitimacy to BJP&#39;s status of being a pan-India party.

Just like the Karnataka victory in 2008 fanned BJP&#39;s presence&nbsp;in South India, a victory in Manipur would consolidate its footprint in the Northeast.

&ldquo;Northeast is a priority for us and we will take this fight to every state,&rdquo; said Assam&#39;s finance minister Jimanta Biswa Sarma, who played the most crucial role in bringing BJP into power in Assam.&nbsp;

Manipur will go to polls on March 4 and March 8.

(WION)

Besides, the two national parties -- BJP and Congress -- have been tussling over the opaque Naga Accord signed in 2015

It doesn’t take long to understand that the elections in India's northeast Manipur state is being fought solely on the issue of territorial integrity of the state. Instead of development being the salient talking point, politics in Manipur is revolving around the Naga Accord which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed in 2015. Though basic issues like corruption, lack of development, extra judicial killings, ecological issues and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) remain alive but it is the more than three-month-long blockade organised by the Naga community in Manipur that continues to remain the biggest issue. Senior BJP leaders are quick to blame Manipur chief minister Ibobi Singh of 15 years for carving out seven new districts right before the state elections. They point out this is the reason for the intense violence that has gripped the state. “The message went out that the decision was political in nature. He had earlier claimed that he would carve the districts till consensus evolves and then he took the decision suo motto,” said Kiren Rejiju minister of state for home affairs. Though Congress defended the decision as a routine administrative matter but the message which went out was that the state government undermined the concept of Nagalim (Greater Nagaland), leading to unrest in Naga-dominated Manipuri areas. The result of the decision was a massive blockade which threw life out of gear in Manipur. While Manipur chief minister blamed the BJP-led federal government for inadequate support, the BJP blamed the Congress for fishing in troubled waters. “The decision to carve out the district was an administrative matter but the Centre must show us the Naga draft. It is the silence on this issue which has created so much anxiety in the state,” said senior Congress leader Imran ul Kidwai in Imphal. The accord which was signed in 2015 has not been made public owing to security issues. It is this opaqueness that has vexed the average Manipuri though BJP claims that not an iota of land would be ceded and territorial compromise is a political jumla. “There is no mention of Manipur in the accord. I can vouch for it. There is no compromise on territory,” said BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is in-charge of India's northeast. The gravity of the situation has even coerced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publically assert that territorial integrity of Manipur would not be tampered with. The campaign acoustics of the two national parties have varied as well. Congress' Ibobi Singh is overseeing a low-profile campaign whereas BJP has gone in the opposite direction. BJP’s campaign is high-pitched, with senior leaders campaigning in Imphal. BJP also doesn’t have a chief ministerial face. It feels content in projecting Modi as the face of its campaign. It has also taken up the sensitive issue of extrajudicial killings in the restive state. The party has promised that people responsible would be brought to book. “We have made blockade an issue because it is being used politically by the Congress,” said Jitendra Singh, minister of state in Prime Minister’s office. BJP wants to build this narrative of blockades and lack of development without getting into the Naga issue directly. Congress differs. Imran Kidwai says that Manipur has witness an all-round development in the state under their tenure. Though what is surprising is that Iron Sharmila who fought several federal governments on AFSPA and became a prominent public figure from Manipur has not been able to leverage her reputation in the political domain. Her cash-strapped campaign has remained subdued even though the draconian army law continues to remain in place in several parts of the state. AFSPA is special powers granted by the Indian parliament to the armed forces to maintain or restore normalcy in "troubled areas". Certain issues which are ecological in nature like health of Loktak lake -- India’s biggest fresh water lake -- has come into prominence like a metaphor. “More money we sent to clean the river, the dirtier it became,” said federal government's Jitendra Singh. But why so much of Manipur in public discourse? It is because of the importance the RSS, or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh -- the parent organisation of BJP -- puts on the frontier regions of the country. It is this reason why both Kashmir and the Northeast are being personally handled by Ram Madhav, who was inducted into BJP from RSS before Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Poll victories in Kashmir and Assam gave legitimacy to BJP's status of being a pan-India party. Just like the Karnataka victory in 2008 fanned BJP's presence in South India, a victory in Manipur would consolidate its footprint in the Northeast. “Northeast is a priority for us and we will take this fight to every state,” said Assam's finance minister Jimanta Biswa Sarma, who played the most crucial role in bringing BJP into power in Assam. Manipur will go to polls on March 4 and March 8. (WION)

Manipur's months-long blockade eclipses other woes in election season

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BJP invited to form government in Manipur

Ibobi Singh resigns as Manipur chief minister

Manipur Assembly Elections: BJP fails to dislodge Congress, Irom Sharmila loses

Manipur's months-long blockade eclipses other woes in election season