Amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, nine MLAs, including three BJP legislators, in Manipur dealt a huge blow to the N Biren Singh-led BJP government by resigning and joining the Congress on Wednesday, 18 June.
Manipur Congress Legislative Party leader Okram Ibobi Singh has written to the Governor, requesting to call a special Assembly session to adopt a resolution on 'No Confidence Motion' against CM N Biren Singh's govt and to invite the newly formed Secular Progressive Front to form the government, ANI reported.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA K Meghachandra has served a notice of motion to the Manipur assembly secretary for removal of Speaker Yumnam Khemchand Singh under Article 179 (e) of the Constitution of India on Thursday.
The notice, which has the signature of 11 other MLAs, including senior Congress leader and three-time chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, National People’s Party (NPP) leader and former deputy chief minister in the BJP-led government Y Joykumar Singh, among others, said:
“This motion for removal of the speaker of the Manipur, legislative assembly is necessitated for the removal that the Hon'ble speaker has conducted himself in a manner unbecoming of the position held by him and his actions are not only unconstitutional but also illegal, which is in reference to the matter of disqualification of the seven Congress legislators, who have been barred by Manipur high court on June 8 from entering the state legislative assembly house until the disqualification case pending in the speaker’s tribunal is disposed of finally. These seven MLAs who had won Congress ticket had defected to BJP soon after the 2017 assembly election."
Four members of National People’s Party (NPP), a coalition party of BJP government in the state, including Health Minister L Jayantakumar Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar Singh, Tribal Affairs minister N Kayisii, and YAS Minister Letpao Haokip, withdrew support to the BJP.
The state’s lone independent MLA of Jiribam and a Trinamool Congress MLA has also withdrawn support to the BJP-led coalition government and expressed support to the Congress.
In a press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar Singh officially announced the withdrawal of his support to the BJP.
“Everyone is aware of the political development in the last few months in Manipur, with respect to this BJP-led government and the kind of treatment we received, including myself,” said Joykumar Singh.
“We had deliberated in details about what will be the best course of action for the party keeping in particular the Assembly to be held in early 2022. Therefore, today we decided to withdraw our support to this BJP-led government, and the ministers resigned from ministership,” he added.
(This article was originally published on EastMojo and has been reposted with permission. It has been edited and updated for more clairity.)
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