N Biren Singh Sworn in as Manipur’s First BJP Chief Minister

IMPHAL:
Nongthombam Biren Singh was sworn in on Wednesday as the BJP’s first chief minister in Manipur.
Manipur has now become the third state after Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast to have a BJP government.Also sworn in were four MLAs from the Naga People’s Party and one each from the BJP, the Naga People’s Front, the Lok Janashakti Party and the Congress, who switched over.
BJP chief ministers Assam’s Sarbananda Sonowal and Arunachal Pradesh’s Pema Khandu attended the ceremony at Raj Bhawan. “Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling and some other dignitaries are also expected to reach Imphal to take part in the ceremony at 1pm,” senior party leader Th. Chaoba Singh said.
Also in attendance were senior leaders and Union ministers Prakash Javadekar, and Piyush Goyal as well as Olympian MC Mary Kom, the BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP.
After the swearing-in ceremony, a celebration is planned at the BJP state office.
On Tuesday evening, governor Najma Heptulla had invited
the BJP-led coalition headed by Biren Singh to form government and also prove majority on the floor of the House “as soon as possible”.
Although Congress, the single-largest party with 28 seats, had also staked claim to form government, Heptulla said she took the decision to invite the BJP-led coalition as it had “the requisite number”.
A party or coalition needs support of at least 31 MLAs for majority in the 60-member assembly. The BJP, which has 21 MLAs of its own, has presented the Governor with a list of 32 legislators.