Imphal, June 19 – BJP’s candidate Leishemba Sanajaobai was elected to the lone Rayja Sabha seat in Manipur on Friday, defeating Congress nominee T. Mangibabu amid the high-political drama.

BJP’s victory in the Rajya Sabha has bolstered the N Biren Singh-led government which was reduced to a minority on Wednesday after three of its BJP legislators quit the Assembly while four National People’s Party (NPP) legislators, one Trinamool Congress legislator and an Independent legislator withdrew support to the ruling government.

Sanajaobai, the titular king of Manipur, garnered 28 of the 52 valid votes in the House of 60 while his rival Congress Tongbram Mangibabu of the Congress got 24.

“The victory was special since my grandfather had signed the agreement for Manipur’s merger with the Indian Union in September 1949,” a jubilant Sanajaobai said despite several concerns from various groups who felt he should be apolitical as people’s king.

“We knew we would win because many Congress legislators were supporting us. But this is not the time to discuss other issues as the COVID-19 threat is looming large,” Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said.

Mangibabu alleged that the election was not conducted in a “free and fair manner”.

Speaker Yumnam Khemchand, played the king maker’s role in ensuring four Congress legislators who had defected to the BJP, to vote despite the Manipur High Court order to “restrain” their entry into the Assembly.

However, Khemchand disqualified the other three Congress defectors — Ksh Biren Singh, S Bira Singh, Surchandra Singh – who could not produce court orders to enter the Assembly.

Th Shyamkumar, who was elected on Congress ticket and  defected to the BJP has been already disqualified as member of the Assembly

The opposition Congress had taken legal action against the seven for “defecting” to the BJP in 2017, soon after Biren formed the BJP-led coalition government.

The Speaker also disqualified lone Trinamool Congress T. Robindro, who had switched to the Congress camp.

Robindro disqualification was based on a petition filed against him by the Trinamool Congress earlier for allegedly having “merged” with the BJP three years ago.

“Such acts by the Speaker is not seen anywhere in the world. It was nothing but show of strength and strangulation of democracy,” an upset Mangibabu said.

Following these political development, the Congress has taken legal recourse against the BJP.

A delegation of the newly formed Secular Progressive Front (SPF) led by Congress Legislature Party leader Okram Ibobi Singh also met Governor Najma Heptulla on Friday to reiterate the demand for a special session of the Assembly so that the motion of no-confidence could be taken up.

“Congress party couldn’t win the Rajya Sabha seat in Manipur. Yet went to governor claiming they have majority in Assembly,”
BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav said.

He informed that Congress leader Ajay Maken and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi entered Manipur disregarding Corona guidelines and said, “They have been promptly quarantined by thr state health authorities.”

The Manipur Assembly elections in 2017 witnessed a hung assembly, with the Congress emerging as the single largest party with 28 legislators in the house of 60. The BJP won in 21 seats.

The NPP and the NPF bagged four seats each. The Lok Janshakti Party, Trinamool Congress and an Independent candidate won one seat each.

The BJP formed the government for the first-time with the support of non-Congress parties besides Congress legislator, Th Shyamkumar Singh who defected to BJP.