Sitharaman, Rijiju to attend BJP MLAs' meeting in Manipur on Sunday

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union law and justice minister Kiren Rijiju will travel to Imphal on Sunday to attend the meeting of the newly-elected BJP MLAs in Manipur.

The BJP's central leadership will be accompanied by the Manipur caretaker Chief Minister N Biren Singh and BJP leader Biswajit Singh who are camping in New Delhi discussing government formation with the party's top leadership.

"The Legislative party meeting of BJP Manipur is likely to take place at 3 pm on Sunday," said sources.

The BJP has not yet declared the name of the next Chief Minister of the state.

Both N Biren Singh and Biswajit Singh are being seen as the frontrunners for the post of Chief Minister of Manipur.

Biren Singh had said that he has never contested elections "for CM or any other post" but as a worker of BJP.

"I never contested elections for CM or any other post but as a worker of my party. The decision (on CM's face) will be taken by higher authorities. I've come to Delhi to meet BJP's central leadership. Chief Minister or no chief Minister, I am somebody who has worked in the interest of the party and will continue to do so," Biren Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, Biswajit Singh has also refused to comment on speculations doing rounds about him in the race for the next Chief Minister of the state.

Speaking to media persons in New Delhi, Biswajit Singh said, "I don't want to comment on that (on reports that he is in the race to become the next Chief Minister of Manipur). We don't have any group, among ourselves, that is for sure. The BJP is a democratic party, and leadership will decide this (the CM issue)."

The BJP won a clear majority in the recently-concluded Assembly elections in Manipur by bagging 32 seats in the 60-member House.

Congress bagged five seats and the NPP won seven seats. Naga People's Front bagged five and the Kuki People's Alliance got two seats. Independents bagged three seats.