editors pick newsletter NDA ready to form ‘popular' government in Manipur, say MLAs
Manipur is in the midst of a civil disobedience movement, spearheaded by a Meitei organisation. On May 25, 2025, clashes erupted in Imphal as people protesting the 'undermining' of the State's identity clashed with security personnel during a march to the Raj Bhavan. Amid these latest developments, 10 Manipur MLAs met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday (May 28, 2025) to seek the formation of a 'popular' government.
The MLAs included eight from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and one from the National People's Party (NPP) headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma. One was independent.
'All the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) legislators want a popular government to be installed in the interest of Manipur. We need the support of the people for a smooth government formation,' Sapam Nishikanta Singh, the independent MLA, told journalists after the team met with the government.
'This is the same paper we gave to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier. The remaining signatories are not here, but we are all in this together. Everybody wants a popular government,' Mr. Sapam Nishikanta Singh said.
A statement from the Raj Bhavan said the 10 MLAs discussed the law and order, and political situation in the State. 'The issues they discussed included, among others, initiating a peace process based on mutual understanding and strengthening security arrangements. Further, they urged the Governor to expedite the formation of a popular government in the State,' the Raj Bhavan's statement read.
Central BJP leaders, however, seemed a little less enthusiastic about this development. A party leader said that the visit of the MLAs was more of a courtesy call, and a government is unlikely to be formed soon.
Manipur has 60 MLAs. Ten of them, including seven from the BJP, belong to the Kuki-Zomi communities and have not set foot in Imphal since the ethnic conflict with the Meitei people broke out on May 3, 2023.
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