Ibobi urges governor to dismiss BJP government and invite Congress

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, May 18: Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh with his Congress Legislature Party team today met Governor Jagdish Mukhi and urged him to dismiss the present BJP led government of Manipur and invite the Congress party to form government.

The CLP team told the governor that in the 11^th Manipur Legislative Assembly election held in March last year, the Congress was the single largest party with 28 MLAs, while the BJP was the second largest Party with 21 MLAs. The governor (Njama Heptulla) without proper application of mind had invited the BJP to form a BJP led government.

Ibobi told that the BJP led government was formed after a post poll alliance was made with other parties like the National People’s Party, Naga People’s Front and Lok Janshakti Party which is contrary to the practises then prevailing where the post poll alliances were discounted, complains the CLP.

In the memorandum submitted to the governor the CLP team mentioned that in Karnataka, after a fractured mandate, the governor invited BJP the largest single party to form the government even though they do not command a majority while the post poll alliance of Congress and JD (S) commands a majority. The action of the governors all across the states need to follow the same principle in inviting to form the government fractured mandate.

Ibobi Singh said “I have asked the governor to dismiss the present BJP led government and invite the Congress the single largest party to form the government in the interest of justice, equity and propriety.”

Ibobi assured the governor that “If the governor invites us to form the government, I will prove the majority on the floor of the House within 15 days, as given by the governor of Karnataka to the BJP, or even within a shorter duration.” He also assured that he can provide a stable government.

Ibobi also complained that the term of the 10^th Manipur Legislative Assembly expired on March 18, 2017 and the new House was constituted only on March, 19, 2017 by the order of the Election Commission of India dated March 14, where it was clearly mentioned that the life of the 10^th Assembly will expire on March 18 or a date when the present government resigns and seeks dissolution of the current House, whichever is earlier. However, the governor invited the BJP Legislature Party to form the government. Chief Minister (N Biren Singh) and his council of minister was sworn-in on March 15, 2017 even before the 11^th Manipur Legislative Assembly was formed and during the life of the 10^th Assembly.

“This act is totally in violation of the Constitution and the laws of the land. As the present BJP led Government was sworn-in even before the House was constituted and was done in violation of the laws it must be dismissed outright immediately and invite the Congress, the largest single party to form the government”, said Ibobi.

“I was replied that the governor would look into the matter even though he is not a regular governor of Manipur”, he added.