Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh won the trust vote in the Assembly on Monday
The Biren Singh government in Manipur sailed through a trust vote Monday, allowing the BJP-led coalition to retain power in the northeastern state.
In a major setback for the opposition Congress, their eight MLAs abstained from voting, defying the whip issued by the party to its members.
The victory comes after high political drama over the past two months.
Mr Singh's government plunged into crisis after nine members of the BJP-led coalition, including four ministers of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma's National People's Party (NPP) walked out to join the Secular Progressive Front - a Congress-led opposition coalition.
However, following a meeting with BJP high command - including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Himanta Biswa Sarma, the party's troubleshooter in the northeast, and Mr Sangma - the rebel NPP MLAs returned to the BJP fold.
Of the other rebels, three BJP MLAs resigned and the one Trinamool Congress MLA was disqualified.
However, soon after the results, former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh alleged that there had been "poll code violations".
"There is no rule of law in Manipur. We are demanding division of vote. They (BJP) don't like it. Within the ruling party, a lot of people don't like this government," he said.
Chief Minister Biren Singh had moved the trust vote on Friday, following a no-confidence motion by the Congress in July.
The Congress acted after the state did not act on its demand to hand over a high-profile drug seizure case involving BJP leader Lukhosei Zou to the CBI.
In June, while the drama involving the rebel NPP MLAs was playing out, the BJP also won the single Rajya Sabha seat on offer.
Leisemba Sanajaoba managed to get 28 of 52 votes in a boost for the Biren Singh government, a day after the Congress moved a no-confidence vote against the ruling coalition in Manipur.
With input from ANI