IMPHAL: The BJP-led government in Manipur won its floor test in the Assembly with a voice vote on Monday.
There was no division taken but it was evident that lone Trinamool Congress MLA also supported the Nongthombam Biren Singh government.
The BJP has 21 MLAs in the 60-member house. It has the support of four MLAs of the Naga People's Front (NPF), four of the National People's Party (NPP), the lone MLA of Lok Janshakti Party and an Independent MLA Asab Uddin besides a Congress legislator who was inducted tinto the Council of Ministers.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA T Robindro Singh also supported the BJP-led government although his party's central leadership alleged that he had not consulted the party.
However, Robindro Singh said he did. "I have neither violated the party's order nor have I done anything against its interests. Whatever the party asked me to do, I have done that," Robindro Singh said.
The TMC legislator argued that the fact that party did not do any such disciplinary action against him proves his contention.
TMC vice-president Mukul Roy said, "After winning his election, Robindro Singh was in touch with the Congress as we had told him that if the Congress is in a position to form the government and needed our support, we would extend our support to ti."
"But the Congress failed to get the numbers and Singh, without discussing the matter with us, went to meet BJP leaders and accompanied them to Raj Bhavan," he said.
Asked why the party has not taken any disciplinary action against him, Roy said, "We can take disciplinary action anytime, but we do not want to create a situation where he faces a life risk."
Earlier in the day, Yumnam Khemchand Singh of the BJP was elected as the new speaker of the Assembly. He too was elected by voice vote against the Congress candidate Govindas Khonthoujam.
Governor Najma Heptulla on March 15 had appointed N Biren Singh as the first BJP chief minister of the state.
A three-day Budget session of the Assembly will begin on Tuesday with an address by the governor.