N Biren Singh to be the next Chief Minister of Manipur, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

With confirmation of the name decided by the BJP for the post of Manipur Chief Minister expected soon, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the current caretaker CM, N Biren Singh will be the next Chief Minister of the north eastern state.

Earlier on Sunday, FM Sitharaman and Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju had arrived in Manipur’s capital Imphal to meet the party MLAs, party sources were quoted by news agency PTI.

The BJP has appointed Sitharaman as the central observer with Rijiju as co-observer for the BJP legislature party leader’s election. The union ministers were slated to also meet workers of the BJP in Manipur, the party’s state chief said.

Earlier on Saturday, senior party leaders N Biren Singh, legislators Th Bishwajit and Y Khemchand headed to New Delhi to hold discussions. Other senior leaders who accompanied them included Union Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Manipur's titular king and BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba and BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra.

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The BJP marked a return to power in the state by winning 32 seats out of the total 60 in Manipur in the recently concluded assembly elections.