We will play role of constructive opposition: Okram Ibobi

Former Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Wednesday said the Congress Party will sit in the opposition and play the role of a constructive opposition of the coalition government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the interest of the people of Manipur.

"We thought that we will get justice because we are the single largest party. Our game is over. Our Party has decided that we will sit in the opposition and play the role of a constructive opposition for the interest of the people of Manipur," Ibobi Singh told ANI here.

Responding to newly elected Congress MLA Shyam Kumar, who declared that he wanted to join the BJP, Ibobi said it is a mockery of the Indian democracy and is very shameful.

"It's a mockery of the Indian democracy and it is very shameful. How he switched over for vested interests. Only for power they are taking these kind o people," he added.

The BJP expansion in the northeast got another boost on Wednesday with the swearing-in of the state's first saffron party-led coalition under the leadership of N. Biren Singh.

Governor Najma Heptulla administered the oath of office and secrecy to Biren, a former Congress minister who switched over to the BJP last year, and eight other cabinet ministers, at the Raj Bhawan.

BJP chief Amit Shah and several union ministers, who were scheduled to attend the oath ceremony, returned to Delhi after their flight developed a technical snag.

The BJP is forming government in Manipur in alliance with small regional parties and is expected to reward them for their support with Cabinet posts.

The BJP, which has won 21 seats, has claimed it has the support of 33 legislators in the 60-member Manipur assembly. It needs 31 for a majority.

The Congress, which won the most seats, 28, could not gather the support of three more legislators to make the 31-seat majority mark. It has accused the BJP of using "money power" to form government in Goa and Manipur.