In a major political development, two ex-MLAs got ministerial berths as Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh finally effected a major cabinet reshuffle in his three and a half years council of ministers on Friday amid resentment within the BJP-led coalition government.
Biren Singh is heading a coalition government of the BJP, NPP, Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the LJP. Singh dropped six cabinet ministers-3 from BJP, 2 from NPP and the lone LJP minister and inducted five new faces, reducing the strength of his council of ministers to 11.
Governor Najma Heptulla in a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan administered the oath of office to the five new ministers — Sorokhaibam Rajen, Vungzagin Valte, Oinam Lukhoi Singh, Thokcham Satyabrata Singh and Okram Henry Singh.
The NPP had four ministers in the BJP-led government in the northeastern state and the party had on Wednesday decided in a meeting that it will come out of the coalition ministry if anyone is dropped from the cabinet.
Social Welfare and Cooperation Minister Nemcha Kipgen was the only woman minister in the 12-member cabinet led by Biren Singh.
The Chief Minister had gone to New Delhi with BJP state president S. Tikendra Singh on September 21 and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other central leaders.