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Opposition too elects Koijam its leader

In an intriguing turn of events, the opposition Manipur Democratic Front on Wednesday staked its claim to form the government, electing as its leader Samata Party's Radhabinod Koijam just a day after he had broken away and was chosen leader of the newly formed United Democratic Alliance.

A Raj Bhavan release said Governor Ved Prakash Marwah had received a list of names of 30 MDF legislators and a letter from the combine that Koijam had been "elected leader of the MDF".

But on Tuesday, the Samata Party had broken away from the MDF to form the UDA with the Manipur State Congress Party and the Federal Party of Manipur, two key constituents of the state's erstwhile ruling coalition.

The MDF, after the Samata's exit, comprised the Bharatiya Janata Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Janata Dal-Secular, and the Manipur Peoples Party.

Several political leaders, the Raj Bhavan release said, including Samata Party national general secretary Shambhu Srivastava, BJP northeast secretary P B Acharya, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Th Chaoba Singh and MPP president O Joy Singh called on the governor "and assessed the current political developments".

The governor, the release said, "is continuing consultations for the formation of a stable government".

PTI

EARLIER REPORT: Lone JD-S legislator joins new alliance in Manipur

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