Bypoll outcome bolsters BJP-led Biren Singh government in Manipur

By Sujit Chakraborty Imphal, Nov 11 : After winning four out of the five seats in the Assembly bypolls on Tuesday, the BJP, which is heading a coalition government in Manipur since 2017, became the single largest party and further strengthened its political domination in the northeastern state, officials and commentators said on Wednesday.
After wresting the four Assembly seats, including one uncontested, from the Congress, the BJP, which leading the coalition government in Manipur in alliance with the National People’s Party (NPP) and the Naga People’s Front (NPF), increased its numbers to 23 in the 60-member House (with an effective strength of 53).
A senior official of the Manipur Assembly said on Wednesday that the Congress has now become the second largest party with 17 members followed by the NPP and the NPF with four each. The All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) has one member while there are four Independent and local party members.
“Following the resignations of Congress MLAs and due to the cases pending in the courts and tribunals, there were 12 vacant seats in the Manipur Assembly. Of the 12 vacant seats, the Election Commission has held by-elections to five seats on November 7, the results of which were declared on Tuesday,” the official told IANS refusing to be named.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the Congress had emerged as the single largest party securing 28 seats. But the BJP, which bagged 21 seats, stitched together a coalition government with the support of four NPP MLAs, four NPF MLAs, the lone Trinamool MLA and an Independent member.
In June this year, some BJP MLAs quit the party and the Assembly to join the Congress.