Manipur: Chief Minister N. Biren Singh expands State cabinet, includes Six more ministers

On Saturday, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh expanded his Cabinet by inducting six new Ministers. However, their portfolios are yet to be announced

During a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan, Governor La Ganesan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers, H Dingo Singh, Letpao Haokip, Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh, Th Basanta Singh, and L Susindro Meiteo, all from the BJP, and Khasim Vashum from the BJP's ally, the Naga People's Front (NPF).

The Chief Minister was joined by his Cabinet colleagues, senior civil and security officials, and State BJP president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi during the swearing-in ceremony.

The Biren Singh-led government, which took office for the second time on March 21, now has a full complement of 12 ministers. The BJP now has ten ministers in the 12-member cabinet, while its partner ally NPF has two.

In the February-March Assembly elections, the BJP won a thin majority of 32 seats in the 60-member Assembly, the results of which were announced on March 10.

 Along with the Chief Minister, four BJP MLAs - Thongam Biswajit Singh, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Govindas Konthoujam, Nemcha Kipgen, and Awangbow Newmai of the NPF - took the oath of office and secrecy on March 21. Former Minister Nemcha Kipgen is Biren Singh's only female minister.

The NPF, which contested in the Assembly elections without forming a pre-election coalition with the BJP, won five seats. In the recent elections, the BJP's former ally National People's Party (NPP) won seven seats, the Janata Dal (United) got six seats, and the Congress and the Naga People's Front each won five seats.

The Kuki People's Alliance, a newly formed tribal-based party, won two seats in the Assembly, while three Independent candidates were also elected.

The NPF, the JD (U) and two Independent members have announced their support to the BJP Government.