IMPHAL/DEHRADUN/ PANAJI, Mar 21: BJP legislature party leader N Biren Singh was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Manipur for a second time at Raj Bhavan here today, while his rival for the top job Thongam Biswajit Singh was accommodated as a Cabinet Minister.
Singh, along with Biswajit and four other Cabinet Ministers, were administered the oath by Governor La Ganesan.
The Cabinet Ministers who took oath along with Biren and Bishwajit Singh, were Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Govindas Konthoujam, Nemcha Kipgen, all from the BJP, and Awngbow Newmai from the Naga People’s Front (NPF).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his congratulations to Biren Singh and said “I am confident his team and he would take Manipur to newer heights of progress.”
Biswajit Singh and Biren Singh had flown in twice to Delhi since results were announced to elections to the state assembly on March 10, in what was seen as rival lobbying efforts to win the coveted job of chief minister of the strife torn state of Manipur.
While Biswajit was Commerce, Industries, Public Works and Rural Development Minister in the last Cabinet, it is to be seen what portfolios will be allocated to him this time round.
Earlier, Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Kiren Rijiju had on Sunday handed over a letter to Ganesan, stating that Singh had been elected unanimously as the leader of the BJP legislature party with 32 MLAs.
Two political parties, the JD (U) with six members, and the Kuki People’s Alliance with two members and one independent, had also “extended their unconditional support to the BJP”.
Following this, the BJP-led Government’s strength rose to 41, a two thirds majority in the 60-member Manipur assembly.
Meanwhile, Pushkar Singh Dhami and Pramod Sawant will be the Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand and Goa for a second successive term after the BJP Monday weighed in favour of youth, continuity and ability to perform under pressure ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
BJP lawmakers of the two states met in Dehradun and Panaji, and elected Dhami, who lost his own seat but powered the party to a massive victory, and Sawant, as their leaders, ending 11 days of intense speculation over chief ministership.
Party’s central observer and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced Dhami’s name after a brief meeting of the BJP legislature party in Dehradun which was also attended by Union Ministers Meenakshi Lekhi and Pralhad Joshi.
“In six months, Dhami left his imprint on Uttarakhand which manifested in the election results,” Rajnath Singh told reporters after announcing Dhami’s election as the legislature party leader.
The BJP has reposed faith in Dhami once again as he knows well how to run a Government, the Defence Minister said, adding all MLAs unanimously supported him.
“The State’s development will get a fillip and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grand vision for the development of Uttarakhand will be turned into reality,” Dhami said.
Though Dhami, 46, the youngest Chief Minister of the State, was a clear favourite for the top job despite losing his Khatima seat, which he represented twice in 2012 and 2017, whatever doubt remained about the leader getting a second term were scotched as the BJP central leadership opted for stability in the State that saw three Chief Ministers in four months in 2021.
It’s for the first time that a BJP Government will have a chief minister who himself lost the election.
Sawant, too, was elected unanimously as the BJP legislature party leader, with Vishwajit Rane, another contender for the top job, proposing his name.
“It has been decided that Dr Pramod Sawant would be the leader of the House,” Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters after the BJP legislature party meeting.
The BJP, which won 20 seats in the 40-member assembly, submitted letters of support from the MGP, Goa’s oldest regional party, and three Independents to Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, who invited Sawant to form the next government.
“I am satisfied that 25 MLAs are supporting the claim of Dr Pramod Sawant. Accordingly, I hereby invite you to be appointed as the Chief Minister of Goa. You will assume office after administration of oath,” the governor said.
Sawant has been rewarded for overcoming anti-incumbency and steering the party to victory despite resignations by some key figures, including the son of the redoubtable Manohar Parrikar, over ticket allocation. (PTI)
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