Imphal, Feb 11 (IANS) Two days after the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, uncertainty over next government formation prevails even as a section of political leaders frantically make queries about prospects of President’s Rule in the state.
The possibility of President’s Rule issue dominated the headlines after the Governor made the budget session of the Manipur assembly ‘null and void’ hours after Biren Singh quit on Sunday.
The Budget session of the Manipur Assembly was scheduled to start on Monday (February 10) with the customary speech of the Governor and it would have continued till February 24. On February 14, Chief Minister Biren Singh, who also held the Finance portfolio, was expected to submit the Budget estimates for the financial year 2025-26.
A top official said that the last session of the Manipur assembly was held in August last year and as part of the constitutional mandate another session must be held within six months.
“By February 12, the assembly session has to be started to maintain the gap of six months between the two sessions,” the official clarified while talking to IANS.
Meanwhile, hectic parleys were going on to choose an alternate leader of the ruling BJP legislature party who would lead the new government. The BJP’s northeast in-charge Sambit Patra held dozens of meetings since Sunday night with the caretaker Chief Minister Biren Singh, other Ministers, MLAs and leaders of BJP and other saffron party allies to take their views before selection of the new legislature party leader.
Patra, a Lok Sabha member from Puri (Odisha), also held meetings with the Governor at the Raj Bhavan. According to a top BJP leader, state Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh and Municipal Administrations, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Rajya Member from Manipur Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba are the frontrunners for the chief minister’s post.
“The party is trying to choose a leader who will be acceptable both among tribals – Kuki-Zo-Hmar and Naga and majority non-tribal Meitei communities,” a leader told IANS, refusing to be named. He said that last week, the Central BJP leaders called CM Biren Singh along with three ministers, a few leaders and MLAs to Delhi and discussed the political and ethnic situation in Manipur.
The central leaders also separately called Satyabrata Singh and Khemchand Singh and discussed political issues in the trouble-torn state. Both Satyabrata Singh, Khemchand Singh and Leishemba belong to the Meitei community in Manipur. Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley while Nagas and Kuki-Zo-Hmar constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.
Around two years after the ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmar broke out in Manipur and devastated the state, Chief Minister Biren Singh on Sunday submitted his resignation letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla a day before the crucial Assembly session, which however was cancelled by the Governor on Sunday night.
The Governor accepted the resignation letter and requested Biren Singh to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made. Biren Singh accompanied by Sambit Patra returned to Imphal from Delhi on Sunday afternoon before meeting the Governor to submit the resignation letter.
In the national capital, Biren Singh held meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party President, J.P. Nadda.
A top party leader said that following the directions from the central BJP leaders, Biren Singh unwillingly submitted his resignation letter to the Governor.
Biren Singh’s resignation comes amid hectic political activities, with the Opposition Congress earlier announcing to move a no-confidence motion against the BJP government in the Assembly session, that was set to begin on Monday but the Governor made the session ‘null and void’ hours after Biren Singh quit.
–IANS
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