Biren Singh takes oath as Manipur CM, cabinet also sworn-in | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Biren Singh takes oath as Manipur CM, cabinet also sworn-in

BySobhapati Samom, Imphal
Mar 22, 2022 01:51 AM IST

The oath of office was administered by Manipur governor La Ganesan at Raj Bhavan in the state capital.

Nongthombam Biren Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was sworn in as chief minister of Manipur for a second consecutive term on Monday.

Manipur CM N Biren Singh with BJP national president JP Nadda and Manipur governor La Ganesan, on Monday. (ANI)
Manipur CM N Biren Singh with BJP national president JP Nadda and Manipur governor La Ganesan, on Monday. (ANI)

BJP MLA Thongam Biswajit Singh, who was seen as one of the front runners for the top post, was sworn in as a member of the cabinet along with four others. The oath of office was administered by Manipur governor La Ganesan at Raj Bhavan in the state capital.

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The cabinet ministers who took oath with Biren Singh and Biswajit Singh were Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Govindas Konthoujam, Nemcha Kipgen, all from the BJP, and Awngbow Newmai from the Naga People’s Front (NPF).

The chief minister said he will work day and night to abolish corruption from the state. “Next, I will try to watch out for rooting out the menace of drugs from the state. Thirdly, I will try to bring the insurgents (groups) to the negotiating table for political dialogue.. These three will be my priorities,” he told reporters after the ceremony.

Singh was elected from Heingang assembly constituency in the February 28 assembly election. He won the seat for the record fifth time, defeating rival Congress candidate P Sharatchandra by more than 17,000 votes.

Extending his wishes to Biren Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “Congratulations to Shri @NBirenSingh Ji on being sworn-in as the chief minister of Manipur. I am confident his team and he would take Manipur to newer heights of progress and continue the good work done in the last five years.”

The swearing-in ceremony was held in the presence of BJP national president J P Nadda, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Tripura chief minister Biplap kumar Deb, Nagaland deputy chief minister Yanthungo Patton, former Manipur chief minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh, newly elected MLAs of BJP, Janata Dal (United), Congress, NPF, Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) and other top officials of the state.

In the assembly elections, the BJP secured a majority by winning 32 of 60 seats, while the National People’s Party, an ally of the previous government in Manipur, won seven seats. The Congress and NPF secured five seats each. Janata Dal (United) bagged six seats. Newly formed KPA bagged two seats, while three others were won by Independents.

Biren Singh began his career as a footballer, playing for the Border Security Force (BSF). In 1992, he quit the BSF to start publishing his vernacular daily Naharolgi Thoudang, and worked as the editor till 2001.

He joined the Democratic Revolutionary People’s Party in 2002 and won assembly elections from the Heingang seat. He joined the Congress in 2003 and retained the seat in 2007. He was appointed as a cabinet minister in the Congress-led government in 2012. He quit the Congress and joined the BJP in 2016.

In 2017, Biren Singh won the elections and became the first BJP chief minister of Manipur.

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