IMPHAL: Ahead of the Manipur assembly elections next month, the state’s lone Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Tongbram Robindro and Congress’s Y Surchandra joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday
IMPHAL: Ahead of the Manipur assembly elections next month, the state’s lone Trinamool Congress (TMC) lawmaker Tongbram Robindro and Congress’s Y Surchandra joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday.
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BJP’s state chief A Sharda Devi and Ashok Singhal, the party’s Manipur in charge, were among those present at the induction ceremony of the two. Singhal said the BJP will return to power by winning at least 40 seats.
The elections to the 60-member state assembly will be held on February 27 and March 3.
Surchandra said even though he was with Congress, his heart was with the BJP. “But from today onwards, I will be completely with the BJP and play a big role in getting more votes for the party...” He called for leaving personal differences and joining hands for a thumping majority.
In 2017, Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state by winning 28 seats. But BJP, which won 21 seats, formed the government.
On January 9, Congress legislator Chaltonlien Amo joined the BJP. With Chaltonlien’s exit, the strength of Congress in the assembly was reduced to 13.