The Bharatiya Janata Party leadership has zeroed in on the name of N Biren Singh as the next chief minister of Manipur, sources told News18 on Wednesday.
The poll battle for Manipur was tough but, for Birenthe contest after the results came out on March 10 was not easy either. Though he had gone into the elections as the incumbent CM, there were other claimants for the post.
Thongam Biswajit Singh was one of the challengers. He actually joined the BJP before Biren Singh. Party insiders say he thought in 2017 that he would be the chief minister, being senior, but that was not to be.
Another name was of Konthoujam Govindas Singh, previously the state Congress president, who joined the BJP in August 2021. A point in his favour was that he has a background in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The BJP did not project a chief ministerial candidate for the polls. Party insiders say that was because leadership did not want faction fights to affect the poll performance.
Now that the BJP has got majority on its own, winning 32 of the 60 assembly seats in the Manipur electionsthe party and locals are eagerly waiting for the CM pick.
Sources say the way Biren as the chief minister tried to bring peace in the state over the past five years, curbing insurgency and blockades, has gone in his favour.
The former footballer also poached Congress MLAs, say sources, and stabilised the government.
He also managed to balance the work done for the hills and valley that present diverse challenges, say party insiders.
According to sources, central BJP leaders called both the camps of Biren and Biswajit to Delhi. They were all spoken with after which a name was finalised.
N Biren Singh met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior ministers and BJP leaders in Delhi.
Sources say the swearing-in ceremony will take place after Holi.
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