In Manipur Cabinet, allies get lion’s share

N. Biren Singh was sworn in as the first BJP Chief Minister of Manipur at Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Wednesday.

Having come to power with the support of three regional parties and a dissident member from the Congress, the new government has accommodated its different allies in the Cabinet, even if it meant fewer berths for the BJP.

Two for BJP

Of the nine Cabinet berths including that of Chief Minister, BJP MLAs were given only two posts. The only other legislator from the BJP to get a Cabinet berth was prominent party leader T. Biswajit Singh, an MLA from Thongu constituency.

The National People’s Party (NPP) which was set up by former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma, gofour berths in the Cabinet, with Yumnan Joykumar Singh beingappointed as deputy Chief Minister. The lawmaker from Uripok constituency is the former Director General of Police, Manipur. Three others legislators of NPP, L. Jayantakumar, N. Koyisi and L. Haokip, have also been included in the Cabinet.

An important ally

Naga People’s Front’s Losi Dikho, an MLA from Mao, was given a Cabinet berth. The party has four members in the House. Karan Shyam, the only MLA from Lok Janshakti Party and Congress MLA from Andro constituency T. Shyamkumar who has defected to the BJP, were also among the list of Ministers. It was the defection of Mr. Shyamkumar, who was expelled by the Congress during the day, that had tilted the balance in favour of the BJP.

In the 60-member House, the Congress won 28 seats and the BJP 21. The Governor invited leader of the BJP legislature party Biren Singh to form the government, stating that the BJP had the numbers.