Tussle in BJP for Manipur CM’s post

Party secured a clear majority by bagging 32 seats in the 60-member Assembly

The BJP is reportedly caught in a tug of war for the Manipur Chief Minister’s post a day after coasting to a clear majority by bagging 32 seats in the 60-member Assembly.

A section within the BJP feels incumbent Nongthombam Biren Singh, who led the party to victory, should be the natural choice for continuing at the helm. Another says this would undermine the crucial role played by other leaders who helped the party grow from strength to strength.

“We have a parliamentary board that will name the next Chief Minister in consultation with the State unit leadership,” State BJP president A. Sharda Devi told journalists on Friday around the time Mr. Singh met Governor La Ganesan to tender his resignation as Chief Minister.

He has been asked to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister until the next government is installed.

Mr Singh’s detractors are believed to have sounded the central BJP leadership about the “dynastic” politics that the party talks against. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attributed the BJP’s victory in four States on Thursday to the people’s rejection of dynastic politics.

“One of our victorious candidates is the son-in-law of the Chief Minister,” a senior BJP leader of a dissident camp said, declining to be quoted. He referred to Rajkumar Imo Singh, who won the Sagolband Assembly constituency for the third straight term. He has rooted for Mr. Singh to be in charge again. “He is the people’s choice,” he told a section of the media.

The Chief Minister’s younger brother, N. Rajendra, had sought a BJP ticket from Khundrakpam and had even tried to contest as an independent. He was dissuaded.