Manipur: Former NPP president T Kipgen and 17 others join BJP

IMPHAL

Barely two weeks ahead of the Assembly by-polls in Manipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received a boost with the joining of the former state president of the National People’s Party’s (NPP), Thangminlien Kipgen, along with 17 others.

The other prominent faces of the NPP who joined the BJP include Ch. Ajang Khongsai, former working president, Dr Ph. Jilasana Sharma, former senior vice-president (organisation administration) and G. Satyabati Devi, former vice president-cum-president (Women Front) and spokesperson of the NPP, Manipur and other active members.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh welcomed the new members into the BJP’s fold at the Durbar Hall of the CM’s office on Tuesday.

BJP Manipur Pradesh president, S Tikendra, Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba, BJP National general secretary and MP Dilip Saikia, Agriculture Minister O Lukhoi, MLA N Indrajit and BJP Manipur Pradesh general secretary L Deben Singh attended the welcoming event.

We may note that Thangminlien Kipgen was expelled as the Manipur unit president of the NPP by its national president Conrad Sangma in August this year, for “not following the procedure laid down in the party’s constitution”.