Will Biswajit Singh be surprise BJP pick as next Manipur CM?

Senior Manipur BJP leader Thongam Biswajit Singh is among people credited with changing the fortunes of the party in the state. The BJP won a majority on its own for the first time in Manipur and Biswajit Singh's name has been doing the rounds as a candidate for chief minister's post in the northeastern state.

The BJP retained power in Manipur by winning 32 seats with its main rival Congress managing to win only five seats in the 60-member assembly. The National People's Party has won seven seats, Janata Dal (United) six, Naga People's Front five, Kuki People's Alliance two seats and Independents three seats. The BJP contested the election with Chief Minister Biren Singh as a key face but the party is yet to take a decision on the next chief minister.

Biren Singh had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday in Parliament and had termed it a "courtesy visit". When Thongam Biswajit Singh joined the BJP from Trinamool Congress about six years back, not many were sure he would turn out to be a key leader behind the party's impressive growth in the state.

He was seen to be in contention for the Chief Minister's post in 2017 but he supported N Biren Singh's candidature. Biswajit Singh was given key portfolios in the government. A four-time MLA, Biswajit Singh was seen to have played a key role in sealing BJP's alliances with the Naga People's Front and National People's Party in 2017 for forming the first BJP-led government in the border state.

Biswajit Singh, who has risen from a humble background, won this year's assembly polls from Thongju. His supporters said he did not campaign in his constituency and devoted time to other seats and his wife campaigned for him. After Biswajit Singh joined BJP, he was disqualified under anti-defection law and won a bye-election by a big margin.

Assam chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor, had recently lauded Biswajit Singh's efforts for strengthening BJP in the state. "The contribution made by Biswajit cannot be undermined. Any time there was an issue in Manipur, he promptly called me and immediately agreed to either speak or call of the central government to solve the issue. He holds a big place in his heart for the people of Manipur," Sarma had said.

Biswajit Singh is also credited with exposing "several scams" during the Congress rule. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been appointed as observer and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju as co-observer for the election of BJP's legislature party leader in the state.

The meeting is expected to take place early next week in Imphal. Biswajit Singh is also seen to have decent clout among MLAs in his support and speculation over the choice of next chief minister continues. Biswajit Singh had on Thursday refused to comment on speculations doing the rounds about him in the race for the next Chief Minister of the state.

"I don't want to comment on that. 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)," he said.