Hours after BJP candidate Leisemba Sanajaoba won the election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Manipur, former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh alleged that there have been poll code violations.
Manipur’s royal scion Leisemba won the Rajya Sabha election defeating Congress nominee T Mangibabu amidst the Congress staked claim to form government in the state.
While the BJP candidate managed to get 28 votes, Congress bagged 24 votes.
The Congress complained to the Election Commission that at least two MLAs – including Speaker Yumnam Khemchand Singh – showed their ballot papers to “unauthorized people”.
“In 2017 state polls, the Congress had won 28 of 60 assembly seats. But eight MLAs from the Congress MLAs subsequently supported the BJP without leaving the party. One of them even became a minister. The Congress had moved a petition for their disqualification. One of them, who was a minister, was disqualified after the Supreme Court stepped in,” ND TV quoted Congress MLA K Meghachandra as saying.
“For the rest seven, speaker tribunal had to take a decision” he added.
“The Manipur High Court had directed these seven MLAs not to enter the assembly until the speaker had decided over their fate. The High Court had further asked the speaker to keep his decision in abeyance till yesterday but the speaker went forward to declare his decision.
“Out of the seven, he allowed three to vote, four were not allowed. On top of it the only TMC MLA who was never part of this was also disqualified by the speaker yesterday,” the Congress MLA said, alleging a foul play.
The Congress on Thursday had moved a no-confidence motion against the Biren Singh-led government in Manipur, a day after nine legislators withdrew support from the government.