Congress MLA In Manipur Joins BJP Day After Poll Dates Announced

A day after the Election Commission announced poll dates for Manipur, Congress MLA and tribal leader Chaltonlien Amo of Tipaimukh Assembly constituency joined the ruling BJP today.

The voting for Manipur will take place in two phases on February 27 and March 3. The votes for the 60-member assembly will be counted on March 10.

Mr Amo is the 15th MLA to quit the party after the 2017 assembly polls in the state where the Congress emerged as the single largest party but could not form the government.

"I welcome Shri Chaltonlien Amo Tipaimukh to the Bhajpa Parivar. The BJP 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 Chief Minister Shri N Biren Singh ji in the state," Union Minister and BJP's Minister in charge of Manipur polls Bhupendra Yadav tweeted.

I welcome Shri Chaltonlien Amo Tipaimukh to the Bhajpa Parivar.

The BJP 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 Chief Minister Shri @NBirenSingh ji in the state. pic.twitter.com/H3YX8lv94A

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) January 9, 2022

Earlier also several Congress leaders including state Congress president Govindas Konthoujam and few MLAs quit the party crossed over to the BJP.

After 15 years, the Congress was ousted by the BJP-led alliance in the 2017 Assembly polls, despite emerging as the single largest party with 28 seats. The BJP, 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.