The exodus from the ruling BJP in election-bound Manipur continued on Monday, with party MLA and retired IAS officer P. Saratchandra, former Minister N. Biren, and the former chief of a state government PSU N. Joykumar joining the Congress.

At a function, the Congress’ election in-charge for Manipur, Bhakta Charan Das, and former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, welcomed all three leaders.

In the meantime, five other BJP leaders, including Ningthoujam Mangi and S. Sovachandra, have joined the National People’s Party (NPP), the BJP’s junior ally.

It was previously joined by BJP leaders Lourembam Sanjoy Singh and Thangjam Arunkumar. Thangjam Arunkumar, a BJP leader, and a decorated female police officer-turned-firebrand leader. On Sunday night, Thounaojam Brinda joined the Janata Dal-United.

The Congress, the NPP, and the JD-U are expected to nominate the majority of BJP deserters who left the saffron party after not being considered as party nominees for the upcoming Assembly elections on February 27 and March 3.

The JD-U, which recently gained the support of sitting Congress legislator K. Joykishan and former Minister Abdul Nasir, has risen to prominence in Manipur politics as a result of the influx of so many important leaders.

Ticket aspirants and supporters of the ruling BJP, who allegedly burned effigies of Central and state party leaders, torched party flags, banners, and posters, and forced the closure of a few party offices and in different parts of Manipur as protests erupted on Sunday after the party announced all 60 candidates, continued their protests on Monday.

Imphal BJP leaders denied any large-scale protests, saying that “minor discontent was expressed by some party men and these are all manageable,” but they were also concerned after several party leaders, including a sitting MLA, quit the party.

On Monday, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh met with party candidates and discussed election strategies, accompanied by senior leaders.

Anticipating possible protests following the announcement of the candidates’ names, police authorities have tightened security and deployed additional force for about a week in the state BJP headquarters in Imphal and a few other districts, preventing large-scale attacks and incidents.

The security of the party’s state president, A. Sharda Devi, as well as ministers and MLAs, has been beefed up.

At least ten of the 16 former Congress leaders who have joined the BJP in recent years have been given tickets, as the ruling party has announced that it will contest all 60 seats without forming an alliance with any other party.

Meanwhile, Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Y. Joykumar Singh, who is also the NPP vice-president, has stated that his party will try to nominate those leaders who have been rejected by the BJP for the upcoming election.

Since 2017, the NPP has been an ally of the BJP-led government, with four MLAs.

The NPP, led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, has announced that it will run in the elections on its own this time, fielding candidates in at least 40 seats.

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