In a huge setback to the BJP, its government in Manipur has lost its majority after a large-scale defection from the TMC, NPP and its own rank. As many as eight MLAs from the NPP, TMC and the BJP have now joined the Congress. They are four from the NPP, three from the BJP and one from the TMC.
The NPP had four ministers in the state cabinet. They were Deputy CM Y Joykumar Singh, Tribal and Hills Area Development Minister N Kayishii, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Letpao Haokip and Health and Family Welfare Minister L Jayanta Kumar Singh.
Breaking news from Manipur: 4 NPP, 3 BJP and 1 TMC MLA join Cong.. BJP govt pushed into a minority in the state. Not often does a BJP ruled state lose out in a power game. More details of the power play in Imphal awaited..
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) June 17, 2020
Last year, the BJP’s coalition partner Naga People’s Front (NPF) had announced the withdrawal of support to the state government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
BJP had 21 legislators in the 60-member Manipur assembly. The saffron party enjoyed the support of four MLAs from the NPP and one MLA each from the LJP, Independent and All India Trinamool Congress. in 2018, eight of the 28 Congress MLAs had defected to the BJP. The Congress with 28 MLAs had emerged as the single largest party in the 2017 assembly polls, but the Governor had invited the BJP even though it had only 21 MLAs.
More to follow