Assembly Election 2017: Congress accuses BJP of subverting democracy; Chidambaram says party stealing polls

As BJP staked claim to forming a new government in Manipur, the Congress on Sunday accused it of “playing a dangerous game of subverting democracy” and abducting an Independent MLA from Manipur by misusing the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Imphal airport. “(The) BJP is now misusing (the) CISF and airport authorities to detain and abduct independent MLA Ashab Uddin at Imphal airport and take him to Calcutta (Kolkata),” Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted. “(The) Modi government is playing a dangerous game of subverting democracy and abducting MLAs by misusing (the) CISF at Imphal airport despite electoral loss,” he added. [caption id=“attachment_3154548” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Randeep Surjewala. CNN News 18[/caption] Surjewala said, “Independent MLA Asab Uddin is travelling with Minister Sh Nasir (A Nasir). Federalism and rule of law being murdered in broad daylight by (the) Modi government.” Surjewala said that according to the Constitution and norms, the single-largest party is always invited to form the government. “The BJP government is subverting law and democracy through their Governors, who are acting as stooges,” he said. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram too slammed the BJP for allegedly subverting democracy and making a backdoor entry to power in Manipur and Goa. He charged the saffron party of stealing the elections in these states which threw a hung Assembly.

A party that comes second has no right to form the Government. BJP stealing elections in Goa and Manipur.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) March 13, 2017

The ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have secured 28 and 21 seats, respectively, in Manipur after the assembly elections held earlier this month. BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said the party will meet Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla to stake claim to forming the new government in the state with the support of the National People’s Party (NPP) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). “We will approach Governor Najma Heptulla seeking her to invite the BJP, supported by the NPP and the LJP, to form the government in Manipur,” said Madhav. The BJP, which won 21 seats in the assembly elections held earlier this month, achieved the vaunted 31-seat mark earlier in the day with the support of its ally Naga People’s Front (NPF) (four seats), and the NPP (four seats), LJP (one seat) and one Independent. The Congress emerged as the single-largest party post-poll with 28 seats in the 60-member house but failed to garner support to form a new government. (With inputs from IANS)