Hopeful of forming govt in Manipur, Cong suffers blow after BJP wins RS seat with 28 votes

Two days after 9 ruling coalition MLAs withdrew support from N Biren Singh-led government, BJP on Friday won a high-stakes battle for Rajya Sabha seat in Manipur. Its candidate Leisamba Sanajaoba- titular king of Manipur secured 28 votes as against 24 votes received by Congress' minee T Mangibabu. As per sources, two Congress MLAs cross-voted.

Moreover, TMC MLA T Robindro Singh and 4 out of 7 Congress MLAs who h defected to BJP were disqualified by Speaker and hence, could t participate in voting. It is pertinent to te that aforesaid 5 MLAs h agreed to support Congress party. However, 3 or Congress-turned BJP legislators were allowed to cast ir votes. Independent MLA Ashab Uddin abstained from voting, thus lending ar blow to Congress. Thus, Sanajaoba got support of 21 BJP MLAs, 4 NPF MLAs, one LJP MLA, and 2 Congress MLAs while his rival was backed by 20 Congress MLAs and 4 NPP MLAs. 

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Congress raises objections

Earlier in day, Congress party petitioned EC asking for votes of party MLA Ngamthang Haokip and Speaker Y Khemchand Singh to be cancelled. It alleged that Haokip and Singh h shown ir vote to BJP official representative and Congress representative respectively. According to party, this was a violation of Conduct of Election Rules 1961 and relevant laws pertaining to casting of votes. However, Returning Officer rejected this allegation. Reconfirming claim by checking video recording of voting, RO arrived at conclusion that Congress party's complaint was baseless.

Congress' hopes h been bolstered after 4 of 7 party MLAs who h crossed over to BJP h returned to its fold a few hours ahe of RS election. But party cried foul after Speaker disqualified se legislators before voting. Terming this as an "abuse of Indian Constitution", Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi expressed hope that Election Commission of India and courts would render justice. 

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Impact on power tussle in Manipur

On Thursday, senior Congress leer and former CM Okram Ibobi Singh wrote to Goverr Najma Heptulla staking claim to form government. He urged her to summon a special session of Assembly in a couple of days to vote on motion of -confidence against Council of Ministers which has alrey been moved before Speaker. Alternatively, he suggested that government could be outrightly dismissed as it is in a mirity. 

With resignation of three BJP MLAs being accepted and disqualification of 6 MLAs, strength of Manipur Assembly has reduced to 51. Even without taking into consideration votes of two Congress MLAs who cross-voted, BJP has 26 MLAs (including Speaker) in  51-member Manipur Assembly. This indicates that Congress might be unable to topple government in present scenario. 

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