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The Centre could impose President’s Rule in the strife-torn state, utilising the time till February 2027 — when the assembly’s term ends — to prepare its next set of leaders
Not only has Biren Singh been facing flak from opposition parties, but also from within the BJP, with several MLAs up in arms against him. (PTI)
On Sunday evening, news broke of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh submitting a letter to governor Ajay Bhalla and resigning from the top post, saying it was “most important” to protect the prestige of his strife-torn state.
However, by late evening, the governor’s office sent out a communication, noting that Singh would continue as caretaker chief minister along with his council of ministers to form a caretaker government.
The next obvious question is what will be the future of the BJP government and its aspirations in the state?
Not only has Singh been facing flak from opposition parties, but also from within the BJP, with several MLAs up in arms against him.
The Centre, at this point in time, acted to ensure that no embarrassment came the BJP’s way via the no-confidence motion that the Opposition wanted to bring in the assembly starting Monday. With the numbers stacked against them, it would have been difficult for the party to prove their majority on the floor of the House. Thereby, after Singh’s resignation, the sword hanging above the BJP’s head has been removed for now. Also, the governor has issued orders cancelling the upcoming session of the assembly.
It is also learnt that the Centre could look at various options available before them, including imposing President’s Rule in the state. The Manipur assembly’s term is till February 2027 and the state will poll alongside Uttar Pradesh. This time may be utilised by the saffron party to prepare its next set of leaders after Singh’s debacle.
Given the political volatility in the state and the division within the BJP itself, it will be very difficult for the Centre to come up with another name for the chief minister and form a government with a few different names as ministers. Keeping in mind the strained law-and-order situation in the state, the Centre is likely to not advise any change of chief minister or installing a new chief minister for now.
It is learnt that in his meeting with his party MLAs and ministers in the government after submitting his resignation, Singh is said to have conveyed that he took this step in the interest of the peace of the state.
The appointment of Ajay Bhalla, former Union home secretary as the governor of Manipur, has not been without reason.
The state seems to have found no solution so far with violence, uninterrupted for the last few years, bringing criticism at the doorstep of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. As the home secretary, Bhalla has studied the situation in Manipur closely and visited the state a few times apart from regular communication and coordination with the state government on behalf of the Centre.
Bhalla, who holds the rare distinction of completing a full five-year term as home secretary, enjoys the confidence of Shah and given his administrative experience, he may be given the task to preside over the state in case of Centre’s intervention.
Within a few days of his arrival in Manipur, Bhalla had ordered a major bureaucratic and police reshuffle, which impacted about 70 posts across the state. It seemed the first message came from the Centre that a change was inevitable.
This step by the government at the Centre, forcing action in the state, has provided much fodder to opposition parties who have termed it too little and too late.
On Sunday, Biren Singh, along with Sambit Patra — the in-charge of the Northeast for the BJP — met the party’s top brass at the residence of Shah, along with BJP national president JP Nadda and general secretary organisation BL Santhosh to chalk out the plan of action for the state.
- Location :
Imphal, India, India
