Manipur political crisis LIVE: BJP hijacked MLAs, says Congress

With the results throwing up a hung assembly both, the BJP and the Congress are struggling to consolidate support in Manipur. Out of the total 60 assembly constituency seats, the BJP won 21 seats and claimed to have managed to get the support of 11 more MLAs taking the total to 32. 31 seats are required to form the government in Manipur.

The Congress managed to win 28 seats but one of its MLAs defected to the BJP on Sunday evening.

Catch all the updates on the political crisis in Manipur as it unfolds right here.

March 14, 2017

1:24 pm: Even as Congress' Ibobi Singh continues to claim majority, the NPP has maintained that their stand of supporting the BJP is clear.

"All letters of support have been given to the Governor. The Governor will take a call to invite us to form government," Conrad Sangma, leader, NPP

10.46 am: We got info that BJP hijacked 5-6 Cong MLAs & took them to Guwahati, this is horse-trading: Ripun Bora, Cong MP

10.42 am: BJP is doing horse-trading in Manipur, they are murdering democracy all over the country: Ripun Bora, Congress MP

March 13, 2017

6:30 pm: Senior leader of the Congress, Veerappa Moily says Manipur governor displayed incompetence. "We were only two seats short of majority. Single largest party is given the first option. It is incompetent on part of the Governor," says Moily.

6:24 pm: "I thank Amit Shah ji, Narendra Modi ji and senior leaders. I left the Congress due to misgovernance. I am sure that BJP will give good governance to Manipur," N Biren Singh

6:22 pm: I am sure that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we will bring about development in Manipur: N Biren Singh, BJP's CM candidate

6:16 pm: BJP's legislature party leader will be N Biren Singh and he has been elected unanimously. We will soon move to stake claim to form government: Piyush Goel

BJP's legislature party leader will be N. Biren Singh;unanimously elected; will soon move to stake claim to form govt: Piyush Goel #Manipur pic.twitter.com/msj6BH5567

— ANI (@ANI_news) March 13, 2017

5:50 pm: "Our official letter with sign of MLAs has been submitted and our stand is clear that we support government led by the BJP. No knowledge of letter by Congress. The signature is not of my President and it is not even on an official letter head," says NPP's C Sangma on Congress' letter claiming NPP's support

5:31 pm: Will tender my resignation from the position of Manipur Chief Minister in a short period of time, either today or tomorrow," Okram Ibobi Singh

5:20 pm: NPP calls out Congress' bluff. "Congress' letter to Governor claiming NPP's support was fake," says Conrad Sangma, NPP leader

5:17 pm: Ibobi Singh decides to resign after failing to get enough support. Stage set for BJP to form government in Manipur

5:00 pm: Chief Minister Ibobi Singh will resign in 24 hours

4:10 pm: Chief Minister Ibobi Singh refuses to resign, claims to have enough support to form government

3:40 pm: BJP meet in Manipur: Biren Singh, T Biswajit in the race for Chief Minister post

3.32 pm: Manipur Governor asks CM Ibobi Singh to submit resignation immediately

3.17 pm: I have not received any resignation letter from the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh till now: Najma Heptulla

3.10 pm: I have the document that was submitted by the Manipur BJP President. BJP paraded their supporters and it was telecast on Television: Manipur Governor

3.02 pm: Observers Piyush Goyal and V Sahasrabuddhe have arrived. We will select the leader of legislature party today- Himanta Biswa Sarma, Convenor, North-East Democratic Alliance

2.54 pm: I rejected the letter that the Chief Minister gave because NPP President had given me a letter one hour earlier on 4 MLAs supporting the BJP: Najma Heptullah

I asked the Chief Minister to resign first but he didn't say anything & went away: Najma Heptulla

2.50 pm: New Congress legislative party leader to be announced shortly

2.48 pm: I was satisfied that the BJP have support of 32 MLAs: Najma Heptulla

Chief Minister Ibobi Singh also came with letter to claim he should be called to form government: Najma Heptulla, Governor Manipur

Congress also brought letter on behalf of NPP signed by secretaries and Presidents, I told him that he can not bring a letter on behalf of NPP: Najma Heptulla

2:08 pm: Ibobi singh steps down as the leader of Congress Legislative Party in Manipur

2:05 pm: BJP central leaders in Manipur. Prakash Javdekar, Goyal attend BJP meet in Manipur

1:52 pm: Chief minister Ibobi Singh asked to resign to allow process of formation of the next government.

Congress ahd staked claim to form the government after the BJP had met the governor on Sunday.

OneIndia News