Nirmala Sitharaman and Kiren Rijiju to oversee process to pick new Manipur CM

GUWAHATI: The BJP’s parliamentary body on Monday appointed Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and law minister Kiren

Rijiju

to oversee the “election” of the leader of the legislative party in Manipur, which has set in motion the process of designating the new chief minister of the state.

BJP national general secretary Arun Singh on Monday issued a statement stating that the central observer and co-observer have been appointed “for the election of the leader of the legislative party” in Manipur assembly. The appointments were announced hours after all the 60 newly elected members of the state legislative assembly were sworn in by pro-tem speaker

Rajen Singh

on Monday.

BJP leader N Biren Singh, who is officiating as the caretaker CM of the state after he resigned from the CM’s post as a part of the formalities on Friday, said the new government will be formed after the completion of some formalities (by the party.)

“Only after the central observers arrive, the leader of the legislative party will be elected. We are expecting the observers soon,” Singh told the media after his swearing in as an MLA.

A source said the new CM is likely to take charge before Holi.

The suspense over who will be the next CM now has entered the final leg with the appointment of the observers. The election of the leader of legislature party has been necessitated due to emergence of more than one contender for the top post.