Accompanied by three of his cabinet ministers, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday tendered his resignation to Governor La Ganesan. The resignation comes a day after the BJP won an absolute majority in the just-concluded Assembly election in the state, bagging 32 seats in the house of 60. While the governor has accepted the resignation, he asked Singh to continue as the caretaker chief minister till the new government is formed. 🗞️ Subscribe Now: Get Express Premium to access the best Election reporting and analysis 🗞️ “Called on Hon’ble Governor of Manipur at the Raj Bhavan to tender my resignation from the post of Chief Minister today. I will now be serving as the caretaker Chief Minister,” he said in a tweet on Friday. Called on Hon’ble Governor of Manipur at the Raj Bhavan to tender my resignation from the post of Chief Minister today. I will now be serving as the caretaker Chief Minister. pic.twitter.com/Ni7qncSs0Y — N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) March 11, 2022 Even as the BJP is set to form the government in the state for the second consecutive time, it is yet to decide on who the chief minister will be. Speaking to indianexpress.com, Manipur BJP president A Sharda Devi said the party’s central leadership will decide the next chief minister. “We are a national party based on democratic principles. It is up to the high command to decide who will lead the government from among the elected MLAs,” Devi said, adding: “We are not in a hurry, for we have an absolute majority”. “CM has tendered his resignation, paving the way for dissolving the government. Be it naming the CM or formation of the government, all will be made clear very soon after party leaders from the centre arrive in the state,” she said. Devi informed that two Independent MLAs have officially pledged their support to the party. They are Haokholet Kipgen of Saitu and Nishikant Sapam of Keishamthong. Sapam had earlier been denied a ticket by the BJP. BJP’s Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra and other central leaders are expected to arrive in Imphal soon.
