The numbers in the Assembly are not looking good for Chief Minister N Biren Singh
The four MLAs of Conrad Sangma's NPP -- who had formed an understanding with the Congress and brought the BJP-led Manipur government to the brink of collapse -- were taken to Delhi today for urgent discussions with the top leaders of the BJP.
A CBI team, meanwhile, flew into Imphal today to question Okram Ibobi Singh, who met the Manipur Governor and effectively staked claim to form the government, in an alleged Rs 332 crore scam.
The numbers in the Assembly are not looking good for Chief Minister N Biren Singh and sources said Mr Singh may be replaced to save the NDA government in Manipur.
A possible deal with the Manipur unit of the NPP - which blamed the rift on the BJP's alleged high-handed ways - has been worked out, sources said, which will need a sign-off by the BJP's Central leaders.
The MLAs who were moved to Delhi late this evening were accompanied by Mr Sangma, whose party has been anti-Congress since inception and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is the BJP's chief troubleshooter in the northeast.
"They (the NPP MLAs) have certain issues, which I cannot resolve at my level. So the next round of discussions will happen in Delhi with my senior colleagues," Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters at the Guwahati airport before leaving.
Things were not looking good for N Biren Singh since June 17, when nine MLAs quit his government. The very next day, BJP won the Rajya Sabha vote. But it was a victory sealed by the Speaker's last-minute decision to allow three Congress MLAs facing disqualification to vote, the Congress claimed.
That setback is now an opportunity for the Congress as the three "un-disqualified" MLAs have shored up its numbers in the Assembly and will have to vote as per party whip if there is a trust vote against the government.
With its partners in the newly formed Secular Progressive Front, Congress now has 29 MLAs in Assembly while NDA's strength is reduced to 22.
That the BJP is worried is clear from the fact that besides the CBI, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav is also camping in Imphal. The move to Delhi came after Mr Sangma and Himanta Biswa Sarma spent the day in Guwahati.
The rebel NPP MLAs want the BJP-led government to "change its attitude". Those reading between the lines say the MLAs want a "change of chief minister".
The Congress sources claim all rebel NPP MLAs are still with the newly formed SPF.
The CBI team is expected to question Mr Ibobi Singh on Tuesday and stay on to question other accused named in the First Information Report filed in the Manipur Development Society scam.
Some sources claim that the questioning is part of an ongoing investigation that began in November last year. This is the first time the former Chief Minister will be questioned in the case.