NEW DELHI: After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Nongthombam Biren Singh as the chief ministerial candidate for Manipur, the Congress Party on Monday said this was an artificially created majority and accused state Governor Najma Heptulla for incompetence.
“The Congress secured 28 seats against 21 by the BJP out of 60 seats. In Manipur, the Congress was in power and we were only two seats short of majority and we were the single largest party. The Governor is to be equally blamed for this kind of conspiracy,” Congress leader Veerappa Moily told ANI.
He added that the Constitution has been violated.
“The Constitution says that even if there is a majority by any one party, the single largest party’s leader is called. That is given the first option to form a government. But here that has not happened in Manipur,” Moily added.
He further said that it is incumbent on the part of the Governor to call the Chief Minister and only if he fails to form a government then the option could be given to the next.
“This basic convention of the Constitution and the well tested process has not been adopted by the Governor. She was waiting for the BJP to manufacture,” he asserted.
Continuing his tirade against the BJP, Moily said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to be more magnanimous with a success in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.
“But the Prime Minister has demonstrated dirty greediness to capture power. He forgets that Manipur is the most sensitive state and that Congress built the integral part of this state,” he added.
He further said that the anti-defection law which is the part of the Constitution has been broken and violated.
“They think that they can make India free from Congress by misusing law. BJP president Amit Shah said that even if they did not get the majority they will make it through, which means the conspiracy has been designed,” Moily said.
The BJP earlier in the day announced the name of Nongthombam Biren Singh as the legislative party leader.
Biren Singh said he left the Congress Party because of misgovernance.
“It is a great challenge. The people have given the mandate for a change and I assure that our team under the leadership of Prime Minsister Narendra Modi will surely provide good governance,” Singh said.
Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said the decision is unanimous and the BJP would soon move to stake claim to form government in the state.