Biren Singh takes oath as new CM of Manipur

Guwahati: BJP leader N. Biren Singh was sworn in as chief minister of Manipur in Imphal on Wednesday. The oath of office was administered by governor Najma Heptulla. Eight other ministers were also sworn in, taking the strength of the BJP-led government to nine.

Mr Yumnan Joykumar Singh of the National People’s Party (NPP) was appointed deputy chief minister. Mr Joykumar, elected from Uripok Assembly seat, is a former director-general of police from the state.

Three other NPP MLAs also found a place in the ministry, that also included Losi Dikho from the Naga People’s Front (NPF). He was elected from the Mao Assembly segment. Both the NPP and NPF have four MLAs each.

Mr Karan Shyam, the only MLA from the Lok Janshakti Party, was also sworn in as a minister. Among BJP MLAs, only T. Biswajit Singh, MLA from Thongu, was inducted into the Cabinet. Mr T. Shyamkumar, Congress MLA from Andro, who defected to the BJP, was also in the list of ministers.

Manipur governor Najma Heptulla, who administered the oath to the new ministers, told reporters that she was aware that the Congress had emerged as the single largest party but it was not “incumbent on a governor” to necessarily call the single largest party.

“The responsibility of the governor is also to see who has a majority, who will be working for the interest of the state and have stability,” she said at Raj Bhavan.

Chief minister N. Biren Singh, in his first interaction with the media soon after taking the oath, claimed that more MLAs would soon join the ruling alliance. He also promised to end the economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council within 48 hours after the government settles in after the floor test.