Imphal: For the very first time, Manipur Assembly has five elected women members – two from the valley and three from the hills.
Welcoming the five women winners, Manipur’s caretaker Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday said, “I am very happy today to see all the newly-elected members, including the five women elected and representing in the assembly.”
“It is a great news (more women in the assembly)…on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s advocacy on Beti Bachao Beti Padhao or women’s empowerment,” he added while speaking to the media after the oath taking ceremony of the 60 newly-elected members of the Manipur Legislative assembly.
Notably, this time all the three women candidates fielded by the BJP won the state election. They are SS Olish from Chandel, Sagolsem Kebi Devi from Naoriya Pakhanglakpa and former minister Nemcha Kipgen from Kangpokpi.
The two other women elected are Kimneo Hangshing of Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) from Saikul and Irengbam Nalini Devi of National People’s Party (NPP) from Oinam.
This year, Mirabai Devi of the Indian National Congress lost her Patsoi seat to the BJP but Nemcha Kipgen was re-elected from Kangpokpi constituency.
In 2017, there were only two women representatives in the state assembly.
Expressing her gratitude as being part of the state legislative assembly, Kimneo Hangshing, the youngest winning MLA, said, “I feel really fortunate and excited.”
She also assured that she will focus on development projects, especially building good roads in her constituency.
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