Lone TMC MLA and an Ex-Congress legislator join BJP in Manipur

Former Congress legislator Y. Surchandra and lone Trinamool Congress MLA T. Robindro Singh joined the ruling BJP in Manipur on Thursday.

In the 2017 elections, Singh was elected to the Manipur assembly from Thanga assembly seat in Bishnupur district. The former IAS officer Surchandra was elected to the Kakching constituency in 2017 on the Congress ticket, but soon his election was declared null and void by the Manipur High Court over non-disclosure of election information.

They join BJP 11 days after Chaltonlien Amo, an incumbent Congress MLA from Tipaimukh Assembly constituency, joins the party. Additionally, several Congress members, including state Congress president Govindas Konthoujam, joined the BJP earlier.

Central Minister Pratima Bhowmik and Assam Minister Ashok Singhal, both BJP's in-charges for the Manipur polls, hosted a simple function honoring Singh and Surchandra in Imphal.

"I welcome Shri T. Robindro Singh, MLA of Thanga to the BJP Parivar. The BJP Manipur is going from strength to strength due to people's belief in the leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi ji and the great work being done by CM Shri N. Biren Singh ji in the state,"Afterward Bhowmik tweeted.

"Inspired by the leadership of Adarniya PM Shri Narendra Modi ji, T. Robindro Singh, MLA Thanga LAC, TMC & Y Surchandra, Ex MLA, Kakching joined BJP at a programme today," Singhal tweet reads.

Though it emerged with 28 seats as the biggest party, Congress lost to the BJP-led alliance after 15 years in the 2017 Assembly polls.

A coalition government was put together by the saffron party, which had bagged 21 seats, as well as four National People's Party (NPP) MLAs, as many NPF members, the only Trinamool Congress MLA, and an Independent MLA.

Manipur's 60-member assembly will be elected in two phases on February 27 and March 3. Voting will culminate on March 10.