GUWAHATI: The Congress in Manipur suffered a major jolt ahead of the coming assembly election next year after one of its sitting MLAs, together with an expelled legislator of the party who happens to be the son-in-law of chief minister Biren Singh, joined the BJP at its headquarters in New Delhi on Monday in the presence of Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal and party's in-charge for the state, Sambit Patra.
The CM's son-in-law, Rajkumar Imo Singh, was an MLA without any party affiliation from Sagalbond constituency after he was expelled by Congress for six years in August last year for "anti-party activities". He, along with another party legislator, had reportedly voted for BJP candidate Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba in the Rajya Sabha election instead of his party candidate.
Singh's father RK Jaichandra Singh was the seventh chief minister of the state (1988-90). The senior Singh was also the first Congress leader from the state to become a Union minister (between 1985 and 1988).
The other new entrant to BJP, Yamthong Haokip, who was the sitting Congress legislator from Saikul constituency, was arrested by the NIA in 2018 in connection with a missing arms case. He was later released on bail. Sonowal tweeted, "Welcomed Manipur Congress MLAs Shri Rajkumar Emo Singh and Shri Yangthom Haokip to the @BJIndia family in New Delhi. I wish them the best in their new journey."
