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Rabi Banerjee
Rabi Banerjee

ASSEMBLY POLLS

N Biren Singh set to be new chief minister of Manipur

Nongthombam Biren Singh was elected as the legislature party leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Manipur paving the way for his elevation as the chief minister. Singh will soon meet Governor Najma Heptullah to stake claim to form the government. 

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The BJP legislators elected Singh as the chief minister candidate in the presence of Union minister Prakash Javadekar.

The 56-year-old leader is a former footballer in Manipur. He also worked as a journalist for sometime before joining politics. Starting his political career as a member of Democratic Revolutionary Party in Manipur, Singh later joined Congress in 2003. 

In the same year he was appointed as a minister in Okram Ibobi Singh government. He remained minister for three successive times and handled  irrigation, food, youth affairs and sports ministries.

However, his relations with the chief minister started worsening on forest and rural development matters, and he quit Congress to join the BJP last year.

Singh, who won from the Imphal constituency this time, has been instrumental in bringing many Congressmen to the BJP.

"We are really happy that he has been made the chief minister of Manipur. He is a very good person," said senior BJP leader Thomba Singh. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Ibobi Singh announced that he will tender his resignation on Tuesday evening.

Governor Heptulla had asked him to resign so that she could proceed with swearing in of the new chief minister. Ibobi Singh has been refusing to resign, pointing out that he enjoys majority support in the assembly and there is no question of resignation. 

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