Manipur polls: BJP MLA, two other leaders join Congress

Imphal, Jan 31: BJP MLA P Saratchandra on Monday joined the Congress, a day after he quit the saffron camp, having failed to secure a ticket for Manipur assembly polls.

Senior BJP leaders N Biren and N Joykumar also followed suit. Saratchandra, who represents Moirang seat, accused the BJP of favouring newcomers to old-timers. He was apparently referring to M Prithivraj, who switched over from the Congress to the BJP last year, and has been given the saffron camp's ticket from Moirang.

Prithviraj had lost to Saratchandra by less than 400 votes in the last elections. Biren, a former minister, and Joykumar also quit the saffron party after he was denied candidature.

Congress election in-charge Bhakta Charan Das welcomed all three of them, and asserted that the party would be bagging 40 of the 60 seats in the upcoming elections. Two other BJP leaders Thangjam Arunkumar and Th Brinda joined the JD(U) during the day. The JD(U) had recently got a shot in the arm as legislator K Joykishan and ex-minister Abdul Nasir joined the party.