Biren Singh Takes Oath as First BJP Chief Minister of Manipur

Imphal: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Nongthombam Biren Singh, was sworn in as the chief Minister of Manipur on Wednesday.

Singh, an MLA from Heingang Constituency, has become the BJP's first Chief Minister in the hill state.

Goveror Najma Heptullah administered the oath of office and secrecy to Biren Singh and eight other ministers.

Hours after saying there would be no Deputy Chief Minister, Y. Joykumar of the National People's Party (NPP) was given the post.

The other cabinet ministers are Thongam Bishwajit, Langpoklakpam Jayentakumar, Karam Shyam, L. Haokip, L. Kiisi, Thounaojam Shyamkumar and L. Dikko.

Shyamkumar was originally elected on Trinamool Congress ticket. He backed Biren Singh in front of the Governor.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, the NPP, the Naga People's Front, Trinamool Congress and the Lok Janshakti Party are represented in the government.

The lone independent legislator, Asabuddin, was not inducted.

Biren Singh gave no indication when the next expansion would take place.

BJP President Amit Shah and cabinet minister M. Venkaaiah Naidu were scheduled to attend the event. But their plane was force to land at Agra due to technical snags.

With 21 seats in the kitty, the BJP needed the support of almost all the non-Congress MLAs. Between Ram Madhav and Himanta Biswa Sarma, they managed just that. The Naga People's Front (NPF) had already said they would support a non-Congress government. Sangma's National People's Party (NPP) came in with all four MLAs, so did the lone MLAs from the LJP and the Trinamool Congress. And finally, when the BJP leadership drove in to meet the Governor, seen in Himanta’s car was the Congress MLA from Andro constituency, Shyamkumar Singh. He later said many more Congress MLAs were willing to cross over.

(With agency inputs)