Imphal, Mar 20 (IANS): Nongthombam Biren Singh will be the Manipur Chief Minister for second consecutive term, BJP's central observer and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced here on Sunday.

Sitharaman, accompanied by co-observer Union Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju, held an around two hour long meeting with the BJP's newly elected MLAs in Imphal, before announcing Biren Singh has been unanimously re-elected the BJP legislature party leader.

Sitharaman, Rijiju, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, BJP's national spokesman Sambit Patra, state BJP President Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi and other leaders congratulated Biren Singh and presented him bouquets.

For ten days after the declarations of the Assembly election results, the BJP held a series of hectic parleys in Imphal and in New Delhi, before announcing Biren Singh would remain as the Chief Minister even as minister and influential BJP leader Thongam Biswajit Singh was also a strong contender for the top post.

Biren Singh, Biswajit Singh, former Speaker Yumnam Khemchand Singh along with state BJP President, went to Delhi twice within a week and held a series of meetings there with the BJP's central leaders to discuss the name of next Manipur Chief Minister and formation of government.

The BJP has secured a thin majority of 32 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly.

BJP sources said that a former footballer and journalist turned politician, Singh, 61, would take oath and assume office as the new Chief Minister either on Sunday night or on Monday.

Biren Singh, a former Congress leader, joined the BJP in October 2016, and in the February-March assembly elections, won from his traditional Heingang constituency for the record 5th time.