BJP stakes claim to form govt, Ibobi to resign by tomorrow

The former Union Minister’s comments came after the BJP, with the help of smaller parties and independents staked claim to form governments in Goa and Manipur.

Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh could not hold his fort solidly with the BJP dismantling the bastion the Congress has held unchallenged for three consecutive terms.

Given the tally, it would be hard for Ibobi Singh to cobble up a simple majority of 31 to form the government for the fourth term. “A party that comes second has no right to form the government”. Even if he is disqualified for defection, the BJP will still have the majority needed to form the government.

Sharmila said she first thought that she will make one more attempt for the MP elections but later realized that she was just not up for it with regard to contesting another election.

When Sharmila began her journey in politics, she said she wanted to challenge the might of Okram Ibobi whose tenure as chief minister coincided with her almost 16 year-long fast.

The Congress won 28 seats. “It’s incompetent on part of the Governor”, said senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily. The BJP leadership with their 21 MLAs had met the Governor yesterday along with NPP president and the four MLAS of his party and the lone LJP and TMC MLAs, besides one of the Congress.

Mr Madhav said one Independent MLA who was going to meet the governor in a short while had also agreed to extend support to the BJP.

But a miffed Ibobi staked claim and insisted on being invited to prove his majority on the floor.

In both these states, the Congress has emerged as the single largest party in the assembly elections results of which were declared on March 11. However, when Gogoi stopped supporting him, Himanta moved to the BJP and helped the saffron party win Meghalaya and Assam. They also claimed that of the four MLAs from the National People’s Party favoured the Congress. The presence of the BJP was so nominal in the State that the party had hardly fielded any candidate in the last 2012 Assembly polls.

Now all eyes are on Raj Bhavan in Imphal to see whether the BJP-led coalition which claims enough numbers or the single largest party Congress with 28 elected members, would get the invitation to form the next government.