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The Hindu
16 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Manipur BJP legislators push for government formation
The Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs in Manipur have renewed their push to end President's Rule in the State and form a popular government that can focus on peace and development. Fifteen MLAs held a meeting with State BJP president, Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi, and other party leaders on Saturday (May 31, 2025) to discuss the possibility of 'meeting the expectations of the people to have a democratically elected popular government' in Manipur soon. The meeting at the State party headquarters came less than 24 hours after 28 BJP legislators converged at the official residence of former Minister Thongam Biswajit in Imphal on Friday evening. The BJP has 37 MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, seven of whom belong to the Kuki-Zo community. Those seven MLAs have not set foot in Imphal since May 2023, when an ethnic conflict broke out between the Meiteis, who dominate the State capital and the valley beyond, and the Kuki-Zo tribes, claiming more than 250 lives and displacing about 60,000 people. Appeal to BJP Central leadership One of the BJP MLAs said the discussion revolved around meeting the party's Central leadership and proceeding to form the government according to the Constitution of India and the constitution of the BJP. 'We desire a government that can focus on development and sustainable peace. Everything depends on our Central leadership,' Ms. Devi told journalists after the meeting. Manipur has been under President's Rule since February 13, days after Nongthombam Biren Singh resigned as the Chief Minister and the BJP failed to reach a consensus on his successor. 'Undermining Manipur's identity' The bid to form the government gained momentum after the May 20 bus incident plunged the Imphal Valley back into chaos. Protestors demanded an apology from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and the resignation of the State's top three officials – the Chief Secretary, the Security Advisor, and the Director General of Police – for 'undermining the identity of Manipur, its name, pride, and respect'. Their anger was against security forces personnel for making a team of journalists travelling to the Shirui Lily Festival in the Naga-dominated Ukhrul district cover the words 'Manipur State Transport' on the windscreen of the bus they were in. A team of 10 NDA legislators — including two from the National People's Party led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and an independent — met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan on May 29 to urge him to pave the way for a popular government.
Indian Express
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
After huddle, 23 Manipur BJP MLAs ‘resolve' to form ‘popular' govt
Twenty-three BJP MLAs of Manipur held a meeting Friday, after which they issued a statement saying that they 'resolved to put aside personal ambitions' in the 'larger interest' of working towards the formation of a popular government in the state, which has been under President's rule since February 13 with the state Assembly being in suspended animation. The BJP has a total of 37 MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, of whom seven are from the Kuki-Zo community and were not a part of the Friday meeting. While the signatories of its statement did not include former chief minister N Biren Singh or Speaker Th. Satyabrata Singh, they included party MLAs who had rebelled against Biren as well as those who had backed him till his resignation on February 9. Satyabrata Singh had been one of the major dissidents against Biren Singh. This meeting came two days after a group of 10 NDA MLAs met Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla in the Imphal Raj Bhavan on May 28, claiming that they have the support of 44 MLAs for the formation of a popular government in the state. 'Acknowledging the deep public desire to see the formation of a popular government, we discussed pathways to achieve this with unity and selflessness. We resolved to put aside personal ambitions in the larger interest of the state, its people, and the vision of the BJP and its alliance partners in Manipur,' said a statement issued after the meeting. It also stated, 'As elected representatives, we are united in our firm belief that a long-term solution to the crisis is both possible and necessary… we thoroughly examined mechanisms for inclusive dialogue involving representatives of all communities in Manipur. We strongly support the establishment of a neutral dialogue platform to facilitate constructive mediation between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, aimed at building trust and consensus on critical issues.' It also stated that the idea of approaching the Governor or the BJP central leadership to appoint a 'neutral peace envoy or a panel of eminent persons, comprising voices from both within and outside Manipur' was proposed in the meeting. The statement also emphasised on the need for 'inter-community people-to-people dialogue at the grassroots level' and for the recovery of looted weapons 'both in the hills and valley.' Manipur has been roiled by a conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos since May 3, 2023, which has killed over 250 people and left tens of thousands homeless.
United News of India
9 hours ago
- Politics
- United News of India
BJP legislators discuss ways to restore peace in Manipur
Imphal, May 31 (UNI) Twenty-three BJP MLAs have decided to call for peace following a meeting held at the residence of former Minister Th Biswajit on Friday night. The MLAs said in a joint statement that in light of the prevailing situation in Manipur, the legislators deliberated on the collective role in restoring peace, stability, and normalcy in the state. The MLAs noted the enormous suffering endured by the people of Manipur over the past two years. "As elected representatives, the BJP MLAs are united in the firm belief that a long-term solution to the crisis is both possible and necessary," said the joint statement. "Such a solution must rest on the pillars of political will, inclusive dialogue, constitutional safeguards, and impartial enforcement of law and order. It is our collective conviction that this journey must be undertaken in close cooperation between the Centre, the state, civil society, and community leaders" the statement added. During the deliberations, the MLAs examined ways for an inclusive dialogue involving representatives of all communities. They supported the establishment of a neutral dialogue platform to facilitate constructive mediation between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, aimed at building trust and consensus on critical issues. In regard to the Gwaltabi incident on May 20, it urged the government to have dialogue with the media persons and civil society organisations to develop amicable understanding. The meeting also considered the feasibility of formally approaching the governor and the Central leadership to appoint a neutral peace envoy or a panel of eminent persons, comprising voices from both within and outside Manipur. Such a body, operating with the full support of the Union government and state administration, would play a vital role in facilitating impartial mediation and bridging the trust deficit among communities. It emphasized the critical importance of inter-community dialogue at the grassroots level. "This will lay the foundation for healing, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence," the statement emphasised. It also called for a well-monitored effort to recover looted weapons. Acknowledging the deep public desire to see the formation of a popular government, it discussed pathways to achieve this with unity and selflessness. It resolved to put aside personal ambitions in the larger interest of the state, its people, and the vision of the BJP and its alliance partners in Manipur. It said the MLAs are committed to peace, justice, and the restoration of communal harmony in Manipur. The MLAs had earlier briefed Governor AK Bhalla about the need to restore a popular government in the state. UNI NS PRS
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
In Manipur, push for a return to popular government is understandable
Since the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur on February 13, the state assembly has remained in suspended animation, following the BJP's failure to reach a consensus on a successor to former chief minister N Biren Singh. As the assembly has not been dissolved, it retains the possibility of being revived when the prevailing conditions allow for the formation of a government. Reflecting growing discontent with the present standstill, a group of 10 NDA MLAs met Governor Ajay Bhalla at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, urging the formation of a 'popular government' in the state. They claimed the support of 44 legislators in the 60-member Assembly (one seat currently lies vacant). However, the revocation of President's Rule appears unlikely in the near future — almost 25 months into the ethnic conflict, it is telling that peace remains the immediate priority, not government formation. On April 29, the same 10 MLAs, along with 11 other NDA legislators, had written to the Centre with a similar demand. Their push for a return to a popular government is understandable — after all, the BJP won a mandate in the 2022 Assembly election. The difficulty, however, lies in the nature of the proposed arrangement, which does not include representation for the Kuki-Zo communities. By their own admission, those who claim the support of 44 MLAs have not included the 10 Kuki-Zomi MLAs — seven of whom were elected on BJP tickets. The supposed consensus behind the push for a return of popular government, thus, reflects a consensus among the Meiteis, but not between the Meiteis and Kukis. The Centre's hesitation to revoke President's Rule acknowledges the persisting instability in the state — illustrated by the unrest in Imphal less than two weeks ago between protesters and security forces, over the alleged instructions to cover the word 'Manipur' on a state-run transport bus (Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh has expressed regret and announced an inquiry into the incident). While there is some consolation in the fact that there has been no violent standoff between the two communities in recent weeks, significant challenges remain — of rebuilding trust, addressing grievances, and tackling the structural issues that lie at the heart of the conflict. An estimated 3,000 looted weapons remain un-recovered. Thousands of displaced persons remain in relief camps. Kukis and Meiteis continue to be segregated between hill and valley. Only an inclusive political process that brings all stakeholders to the table can offer a path to lasting peace. Without such a process, even a well-intentioned return to a popular government risks another cycle of violence.
India Today
21 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Manipur BJP MLAs hold key meet to resolve to form government in people's interest
At least 23 BJP legislators met on Friday evening at former minister Thongam Biswajit Singh's residence in Imphal to form a consensus to prioritise unity among them and form a government. It has been over three months since President's Rule was imposed in the strife-stricken meeting, held amid ongoing tensions and a protracted political impasse, culminated in a joint resolution to set aside personal ambitions for the larger interests of the state and its BJP huddle came just two days after party MLA Thokchom Radheshyam stated that 44 legislators had agreed to form a popular government, asserting their readiness to act in accordance with the public's will. Notably, this figure excludes the ten Kuki-Zo MLAs and five Congress legislators. The BJP legislators expressed a collective commitment to unity, peace, and the restoration of communal harmony in Manipur. "We resolved to put aside personal ambitions in the larger interest of the state, its people, and the vision of the BJP and its alliance partners," a statement legislators acknowledged the suffering endured by the people of Manipur over the past two years of ethnic violence between the members of the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that killed over 250 people, and emphasised the necessity of a long-term, inclusive solution. They identified political will, constitutional safeguards, impartial law enforcement, and inclusive dialogue as essential pillars for resolving the the deliberations, the leaders supported the creation of a neutral dialogue platform to facilitate constructive engagement between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo also discussed the feasibility of formally requesting the appointment of a 'peace envoy' or a panel of eminent persons by the Governor and the Centre, to mediate impartially and bridge existing trust BJP MLAs underscored the importance of grassroots-level inter-community dialogue involving local governance institutions, civil society organisations, student bodies, and religious groups. They called for well-monitored disarmament efforts and the recovery of looted weapons across the hills and valley, stressing the need for central and state forces to act with strict the Gwaltabi incident on May 20, the BJP legislators urged the government to initiate dialogue with media representatives and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to arrive at an amicable President's Rule was imposed in Manipur days after N Biren Singh resigned as Chief Minister, nearly two years after ethnic violence broke out in the north-eastern Watch IN THIS STORY#Manipur#Bharatiya Janta Party
