Guwahati: Congress leaders Gaurav Gogoi and Ajay Maken has reportedly been quarantined in Manipur by the health authorities amid the fierce political tussle between the saffron power and the Grand Old Party in the northeastern state.
After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate won yesterday's Rajya Sabha election, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav took to twitter to gloat over the crucial win. "Congress party couldn't win the RS seat in Manipur. Yet went to governor claiming they have a majority in Assembly. Their leader Ajay Maken and MP Gaurav Gogoi entered Manipur disregarding Corona guidelines. They have been promptly quarantined by the state health authorities" Madhav wrote.
Madhav was referring to the meeting between the 3-time former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and the Governor Najma Heptulla, where the Congress-led coalition staked a claim to form the Government in Manipur, where the Biren Singh-led BJP has been weakened by the defection of several MLAs
Disappointment lay in store for the Grand Old Party later in the evening when their candidate, Tongbram Mangibabu, a former MLA, was vanquished by his BJP rival, the titular king Leishamba Sanajaoba, who won 28 of the votes amid massive controversy.
An elated Biren Singh, who has come under increasing pressure from the Congress camp to vacate his post, said, "This is a big victory of BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. The titular king of Manipur has been elected and it is a win-win situation for all."
It may be mentioned here that the N Biren Singh-led Government has been pushed to the brink after the resignation of three BJP MLAs, the ruling party in the state; and six coalition members, including four National People's Party (NPP), one Trinamool Congress (TMC) and one independent MLA from Jiribam quitting their support to BJP-led coalition government that was elected to power in 2017.
Sniffing blood, the Congress camp is pushing for a floor test. "I hope there will be a special assembly soon for the trust vote. We have a magic number. Today, we have 24 Congress MLAs while BJP alone has 18. We are confident of winning the trust vote. The minority BJP Government in Manipur must prove its strength on the floor of the House. For upholding democracy and the Constitution, a trust vote is a must", Ningombam Bupenda Meitei, the Congress's spokesperson in Manipur, said yesterday, after meeting the Governor yesterday.