IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister and BJP candidate Nongthombam Biren Singh on Saturday filed his nomination papers, seeking re-election for the fifth consecutive term from the Heingang Assembly constituency in Imphal East district.
The 61-year-old Congress-turned-BJP leader, who was elected to the state Assembly for the fourth consecutive term earlier between 2002 and 2017, submitted his candidature to returning officer Elangbam Amuthoi Khanganba while being accompanied by Manipur State BJP president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi.
Singh, who had served in the Border Security Force (BSF) as he was recruited in the paramilitary force for his excellent performance as a footballer, tweeted: "It gives me immense pleasure to file the nomination as the BJP candidate from Heingang AC at the Office of Returning Officer today. I was joined by Smt A Sharda Devi Ji, Pres. BJP Manipur. Best wishes to all BJP candidates filing nominations for the upcoming election."
Singh, who earlier said that he is strongly confident of the BJP retaining power by securing at least 40 seats in the 60-member Assembly, was first elected to the Manipur Assembly in 2002 as a Democratic Revolutionary People's Party candidate from the Heingang Assembly constituency. The next year he joined the Congress and again retained the seat in 2007 as a Congress nominee.
In 2012, he retained the Assembly seat for the third consecutive term and resigned from the State Assembly and the Congress party in October, 2016 and joined the BJP. Biren Singh was re-elected to the State Assembly in 2017 from the same Heingang Assembly constituency for the 4th time and sworn in as Chief Minister of Manipur on March 15, 2017. (IANS)
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