IMPHAL, July 16 - Two more Congress legislators � Ksh Biren Singh of Lamlai Assembly Constituency and P Brojen Singh of Wangjing Tentha Assembly Constituency � joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh led ministers, parliamentary secretaries and MLAs welcomed and felicitated the two MLAs during a reception function at the State BJP office on Saturday evening.
Four councillors � Imran Ahmed (Ward-1), Md Sayeed Ahamed (Ward-2), Ajmal Nisha(Ward-3) and Abdul Barik (Ward-6) of Lilong Municipal Council under Thoubal district and two functionaries of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, including chairman Laishram Memo Singh and secretary Potsangbam Sashikanta Singh, also joined the BJP too.
Congress MLAs Th Shyamkumar Singh (Andro), now Forest minister in the four-month-old BJP-led coalition government, and Ginsuanhau (Singhat) were the first Congress MLAs to join the BJP soon after the last Assembly elections.
Four more Congress MLAs � S Bira Singh (Kumbi), Y Surchandra Singh (Kakching), Ngamthang Haokip (Saitu) and O Lukhoi Singh (Wangoi) also followed them on April 29.
With Saturday�s political development, the strength of the Opposition Congress has reduced to 20 from its original position of 28 in the House of 60 members. In the last Assembly polls, BJP bagged 21 seats. Thus it formed a coalition government with National People�s Party (4), Naga People�s Front (4), Trinamool (1) and Independent (1).
Meanwhile, eight Parliamentary secretaries � L Susindro (Home), S Subashchandra (Health), L Rameshwar (IFCD), N Indrajit (MAHUD), K Robindro (Education), Th Satyabrata (Finance), H Dingo (Rura Development) and Dr Sapam Ranjan (Tourism) � are likely to step down from their respective posts. The resignation is aimed at facilitating their enrolment as members of different committees of the State Assembly, sources said. It may be mentioned that State Governor Dr Najma A Heptulla has summoned the second session of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly from July 20.
