IMPHAL, May 31: The three Trinamool Congress MLAs who were recently disqualified joined the BJP today.
Kh Joykishan of Thangmeiband Assembly Constituency, Thongam Bishwajit of Thongju Assembly Constituency and Oinam Lukhoi of Wangoi Assembly Constituency joined the BJP this evening.
Supporters of the three from their respective constituencies came in full strength and thronged the Nityaipat Chuthek of the BJP from 2pm.
BJP Manipur Pradesh president, Th Chaoba approved their joining in and expressed hope that the three will open the party`™s account in the State Assembly by winning the expected bye-elections.
Speaking at a simple function at the BJP office welcoming the three into his party`™s fold, Chaoba said people, who have realized the true face of the Congress are today coming in droves to the party office with smiles on their face, even though they are supposed to be sad over the disqualification of the three MLAs.
Chaoba claimed the Speaker had taken his decision, while obeying the Chief Minister`™s order.
The Congress is against any MLA from any party working for the development of the State and welfare of the people, he said.
The disqualification of the three is not only an insult to Bishwajit, Lukhoi and Joykishan but to the people of Thongju, Wangoi and Thangmeiband, he continued.
Ibobi didn`™t want these three to be MLAs anymore and so used the Speaker as his puppet to exercise the latter`™s power to do the job without any consideration of its fall-out, Chaoba remarked.
The Speaker is inhuman as is evident from the fact that he considers to remain silent in the SI assault case, the BJP State president continued.
The three wanted to take their case to the court, but since even the judiciary in the State is under the Ibobi led Congress government, they considered it hopeless and decided to fight fresh elections, Chaoba asserted.
He further said that the BJP will pressure the government to hold the by-polls within three months time from today.
Welcoming the three ousted MLAs on behalf of the party`™s national president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national executive member Tapir Gao said the three with their entry into the party will follow the party`™s vision of bringing development and peace in Manipur.