Manipur has been facing serious ethnic violence for over 21 months, resulting in the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren Singh and the need for President’s Rule in the state. Recently, several ministers and MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) traveled to New Delhi to meet with BJP leaders to discuss the political situation.
Among those visiting New Delhi were Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and three cabinet ministers: Th. Biswajit, Govindas Konthoujam, and L. Susindro Meitei. Other MLAs, including members of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), which is an ally of the BJP, were also present in the capital.
The Congress party is planning to bring a No Confidence motion in the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly session on February 10. Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has urged Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to ensure that the current Chief Minister does not threaten MLA members regarding their support for the motion. Ibobi Singh claimed that Biren Singh warned some MLAs not to join the motion during a recent event.
Last November, the National People’s Party (NPP) left the government but said they would support the government again as long as N Biren Singh is replaced. The Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA), which has two MLAs in Manipur’s assembly, also withdrew support from the BJP-led government.
In the 60-seat assembly, the BJP has 37 MLAs, JD(U) has one, and there are three independent MLAs. Five NPF MLAs support the government, while the Congress has five members. The NPP had seven MLAs, but sadly one passed away recently.
The Kuki-Zo tribal community, which includes seven BJP MLAs, has been asking for a separate administration or even a Union Territory because of the violence. Since May 3, 2023, at least 258 people have died and over 1,000 have been injured due to tensions between the Kuki-Zo tribe and the non-tribal Meitei community. More than 60,000 individuals have been displaced, seeking shelter in relief camps for nearly 20 months.
Nongthombam Biren Singh, now 64, started as the 12th Chief Minister of Manipur on March 15, 2017. He led the BJP to its first win in the state and kept power during the 2022 Assembly elections. But now, with the political struggle and the ongoing violence, the situation remains uncertain.
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