Manipur Guv invites BJP to form Govt., oath to be taken tomorrow

Imphal (Manipur) [India], Mar. 14 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party's chief ministerial candidate for Manipur Nongthombam Biren Singh and his council of ministers has been invited to form the government in the state by Governor Najma Heptullah. The oath ceremony will be held tomorrow and will be attended by party chief Amit Shah and MoS in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh. The party, which had won 21 seats made a bid for power claiming it has the support of 33 legislators in the 60-member assembly. Biren Singh was elected unanimously as the leader of the BJP legislature party. He had later staked claim to form the government after meeting the Governor. The Congress had emerged as the largest party in the state after the assembly elections, but the party fell short of majority. While the Congress won 28 seats in the 60-member assembly, the BJP got victory in 21 seats. Okram Ibobi Singh who has been serving as chief minister for 15 years, since 2002, was again elected the leader of the Congress Legislature Party. He had also staked claim to form the government. Ibobi Singh had argued that the Congress being the single largest party with 28 seats should be given the first opportunity to form the government. However, the BJP had managed to get the support of other MLAs in the state. (ANI)