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Political uncertainty in Manipur deepened on Tuesday with 19 of the 26 Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs deserting the party, a day after its central leadership vetoed the state unit's move to form an alternative government.
"Now there are only seven MLAs left with the party," said party secretary in charge of north-east, Padmanabha Acharya. He, however, declined to say whether those who have left would float a separate party.
Among the seven MLAs still with the party is its legislature party leader R K Dorendra Singh.
In the wake of the crisis triggered by the fall of the Samata-led ministry on May 21, both the Samata Party and the BJP had decided not to stake claim to form the government.
In an interesting development, Speaker Sapam Dhananjoy Singh, who was elected on a Manipur State Congress Party ticket, on Tuesday met the governor and staked claim to form the government.
PTI
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