Disqualification of Manipur MLA Surchandra sought

A disqualification petition against Yengkhom Surchandra, who was elected on a Congress ticket from Kakching constituency in the Manipur state polls in March this year and later joined the BJP, has been received by the office of Speaker Yumnam Khemchand.

Surchandra was declared elected on March 11, 2017 on the Congress ticket. However, he along with three other Congress MLAs had joined the BJP on April 28.

BJP heads the coalition government which was formed on March 15.

The petition was filed by Moirangthem Chandrasekhar of the Kakching constituency.

Sources said that all relevant documents and photographs in support of the charge that Surchandra had joined the BJP were submitted along with the petition.

T. Shyamkumar, the Forest Minister, was the first Congress MLA to join BJP. T.N. Haokip, president of the state unit of Congress, said, "Shyamkumar who was elected on the Congress ticket joined BJP even before being sworn in as MLA."

Former Congress Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said, "We have gone to the High Court demanding his disqualification."

The party had also submitted a disqualification petition to the Speaker. In the 2017 elections, Congress which had been in power for 15 years got 28 seats in the 60-member House.

However, BJP which bagged 21 seats joined hands with splinter parties to stake claim. The Congress MLAs who crossed the floor also strengthened the BJP's hands. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh claims that he enjoys support of 40 MLAs in the House.

--IANS

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