Imphal: The Chief Minister of Manipur, Biren Singh, has made significant moves that could lead to the dissolution of the state’s legislative assembly. Reports suggest that the state’s political climate is shaping up to the possibility of President’s Rule being imposed in Manipur. After a meeting with key central figures, including Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda, in Delhi on Wednesday, Biren Singh reportedly submitted his resignation to the Governor of Manipur, Najma Heptulla, that evening. The resignation comes at a time when the state assembly was to convene on Thursday for the presentation of the annual budget. Singh's action follows growing pressure within his party, as Congress was reportedly gearing up to introduce a no-confidence motion against the Chief Minister on the very day the budget session was set to begin.
The political scenario in Manipur has been volatile, especially with the unrest in the region. Amidst these circumstances, the ruling BJP in the state has failed to hold onto power. Political leaders in the state, particularly those from the Kukki community, have raised concerns over Singh's leadership and demanded a change.
Reports from within the ruling party say that many MLAs have stated that they would like to see a change in leadership and that they have already conveyed their views to the central leadership. So far, no decision has been taken by the central leadership, but the resentment within the party is palpable.
The possibility of President's Rule has risen as the violent clashes in the state intensify and the central government gets more deeply involved in trying to manage the crisis. While some factions initially resisted Biren Singh, he was able to maintain support from those influential members within his party that allowed him to stay in power thus far.
At a recent press conference, Biren Singh tackled the issue of unrest, mentioning that he wished to seek pardon from the people of the state for lapses in leadership in the initial phases of the crisis. However, calls for his resignation have remained at an all-time high as political analysts consider this the perfect moment for the shift in leadership.
With fluid developments and uncertain times ahead, much of what will follow now will be up to party leaders and central government to iron out their positions and issues in question. Now with rising violence and the growing pressure from politics, only time will tell whether Chief Minister Thakur resignation is the path towards a change or will give the region yet more turbulence to look forward to.