Imphal, Jan 20: The lone All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MLA T. Robindro Singh and a former Congress legislator Y. Surchandra on Thursday joined the ruling BJP in Manipur on Thursday.
Singh was elected to the Manipur Assembly in 2017 elections from Thanga Assembly seat in Bishnupur district while Surchandra, a former IAS officer, was elected from Kakching constituency in 2017 on Congress ticket but Manipur High Court subsequently declared his election as null and void over non-disclosure of information in the election affidavit.
Union Minister Pratima Bhowmik and Assam Minister Ashok Singhal, both are BJP’s in-charges for the Manipur elections, welcomed both Singh and Surchandra at a simple function in Imphal.
Bhowmik later tweeted: “I welcome Shri T. Robindro Singh, MLA of Thanga to the BJP Parivar. The BJP Manipur is going from strength to strength in Manipur 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.”
I welcome Shri T. Robindro Singh, MLA of Thanga to the @BJP4India Parivar.
The @BJP4Manipur is going from strength to strength in #Manipur due to people’s belief in the leadership of PM Shri @NarendraModi ji and the great work being done by CM Shri @NBirenSingh ji in the state. pic.twitter.com/Uhqz9toGH4
— Pratima Bhoumik (@PratimaBhoumik) January 20, 2022
“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 tweeted.
Inspired by the leadership of Adarniya PM Shri @narendramodi ji, T. Robindro Singh, MLA Thanga LAC, TMC & Y Surchandra, Ex MLA, Kakching joined @BJP4India at a programme today. @blsanthosh @byadavbjp pic.twitter.com/t6IzW1F9eI
— Ashok Singhal (@TheAshokSinghal) January 20, 2022
The two leaders joined the BJP 11 days after a senior tribal leader and a sitting Congress MLA Chaltonlien Amo of Tipaimukh Assembly constituency joined the saffron party.
Earlier also, several Congress leaders including state Congress president Govindas Konthoujam and a few MLAs quit the party and joined the BJP.
After 15 years, the Congress was ousted by the BJP-led alliance in the 2017 Assembly polls, despite the former emerging as the single-largest party with 28 seats.
But the saffron party, which had bagged 21 seats, stitched together a coalition government with the support of four National People’s Party (NPP) MLAs, four Naga People’s Front (NPF) members, the lone Trinamool Congress MLA and an Independent member.
