12 Manipur Congress MLAs quit posts, shun rumours of joining BJP
The MLAs who quit their Pradesh Congress Committee posts dismissed rumours of them joining BJP saying their action was aimed at strengthening the party at the grass-root level.
In Short
- Manipur MLAs who quit MPCC posts said they do not plan to desert the party
- The resignation came after Congress lost both Lok Sabha seats in Manipur
- BJP won Inner Manipur seat and Naga People's Front (NPF) bagged Outer Manipur
Twelve Congress MLAs in Manipur have resigned from state party posts, triggering speculation about the possibility of their crossing over to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but a senior legislator among them on Thursday said they had no intention of joining any other party.
The resignation of the MLAs from the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) came on Wednesday after the grand old party lost both the Lok Sabha seats in the northeastern state.
While the Inner Manipur seat was won by Rajkumar Ranjan Singh of the BJP, Lorho S Pfoze of the Naga People's Front (NPF) got elected from the Outer Manipur constituency.
The resignations triggered speculation of the Congress MLAs planning to join the BJP, but some of them dismissed it, saying their action was aimed at strengthening the party at the grass-root level.
The BJP heads a coalition government in the state led by chief minister N Biren Singh.
The 12 Congress MLAs submitted their resignations to PCC President Gaikhangam, who is also a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC).
The Congress had 29 MLAs in the state after the 2017 Assembly polls, but eight of its legislators had defected to the BJP last year, taking the saffron party's tally from 21 to 29 in the 60-member house.
At present, the BJP also enjoys the support of one MLA each of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) and the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC), besides that of an Independent member and four National People's Party (NPP) legislators.
In 2017, the saffron party was able to form the government in the state with the support of the NPF, the NPP and others.
Kh Joykishan Singh, who submitted his resignation from the post of MPCC vice-president, told PTI on Thursday that all the 12 MLAs were in solidarity with the Congress.
"Our resignation from the party posts is to enable us to work at the grassroots level in our Assembly constituencies to restore the confidence of the people in the Congress," Kh Joykishan Singh said.
Echoing similar views, Gaikhangam said the legislators would now focus on strengthening the party organisation in the state.
Asked whether the party would accept their resignation, the MPCC president said, "It is up to AICC [All India Congress Committee] President Rahul Gandhi to take the final decision."
Though the NPF decided to withdraw support to the BJP-led government in Manipur this month, its state President Awangbou Newmai had said on May 19 that it would be implemented after the Lok Sabha poll process was completed on May 23.