Manipur CM N. Biren Singh files nomination seeking re-election for 5th time

Imphal, Feb 5 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister and BJP candidate Nongthombam Biren Singh on Saturday filed his nomination papers seeking re-election for the fifth consecutive term from the Heingang Assembly Constituency in Imphal East district.The 61-year-old Congress turned BJP leader, who elected to the state Assembly for the fourth consecutive term earlier in between 2002 and 2017, submitted his candidature to the Returning officer Elangbam Amuthoi Khanganba accompanied by Manipur state BJP President Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi. Singh, who served the Border Security Force (BSF) as he was recruited in the para-military force for his excellent performance as a footballer, tweeted: “It gives me immense pleasure to file the nomination as the BJP candidate from Heingang AC at the Office of Returning Officer today. I was joined by Smt. A Sharda Devi Ji, Pres. BJP Manipur. Best wishes to all BJP candidates filing nominations for the upcoming election.”Singh, who earlier told IANS that he is strongly confident of BJP retaining power by securing at least 40 seats (in the 60-member Assembly), first elected to the Manipur Assembly in 2002 as a Democratic Revolutionary People’s Party candidate from the Heingang Assembly Constituency and in the next year he joined the Congress and again retained seat in 2007 as a Congress nominee. In 2012, he retained the Assembly seat for the third consecutive term and resigned from the state Assembly and the Congress party in October 2016 and joined the BJP.Biren Singh was re-elected to the state Assembly in 2017 from the same Heingang Assembly Constituency for the 4th time and sworn in as Chief Minister of Manipur on March 15, 2017.The BJP, which had bagged 21 seats in the 60-member Assembly in 2017 and wrested the power for the first time, stitching together a coalition government with the support of four National People’s Party (NPP) MLAs, four Naga People’s Front (NPF) members, the lone Trinamool Congress MLA and an Independent member.The Congress, despite emerging as the single-largest party with 28 seats, was ousted from power after 15 years in the last assembly polls (2017).The BJP and its allies NPP and NPF are separately contesting the February 27 and March 3 Assembly polls.The counting of votes will take place on March 10.–IANSsc/shb/