Manipur CM Biren Singh gets more portfolios, senior leader Biswajit fewer

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Singh was sworn in as chief minister for the second consecutive term on Monday.

Four BJP MLAs –Th Biswajit Singh, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Govindas Konthoujam and Nemcha Kipge – and Naga People’s Front (NPF) leader Awangbou Newmai were appointed ministers.

Senior minister Th Biswajit Singh, who was in the race for the chief minister job, was allotted only four portfolios—power, forest, environment and climate change, agriculture department, and science and technology. In the previous term, Biswajit held seven plum portfolios but he was stripped of the public works, rural development and panchayati raj, commerce and industries, information and public relations and administrative reforms portfolios.

Konthoujam, the Congress turncoat elected from Bishnupur, was given the PWD and youth affairs and sports portfolios, while former speaker Y Khemchand Singh got the municipal administration, housing and urban development, rural development and panchayati raj, and education departments.

Nemcha Kipgen, who had served as minister for social welfare and co-operation, was allotted the textile, commerce and industries department as well as the cooperation department. So far, Nemcha is the only woman minister in Biren’s cabinet.

The NPF’s Newmai was given the departments of water resources, and relief and disaster management department.