New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s parliamentary board on Monday appointed Tarun Chugh, national general secretary, as the central observer for the election of the legislative party leader in Manipur.
The appointment comes a day before the central leadership is scheduled to meet the BJP’s lawmakers in New Delhi.
The move signals renewed momentum towards government formation in the state, which has been under President’s Rule for nearly a year.
The BJP currently holds 37 of the 60 assembly seats, giving it the numbers to form the government independently.
“BJP parliamentary board has appointed Shri Tarun Chugh, national general secretary, as central observer for the election of the legislative party leader in Manipur,” said Arun Singh, BJP national general secretary and headquarters in-charge.
Among the frontrunners for the legislative party leadership are Chief Minister Biren Singh, T Satyabrata Singh, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Govindas Konthoujam, Basanta K Singh, K Ibomcha Singh and Dipu Gangmei.
Chugh’s appointment comes ahead of 13 February, which will mark a year since President’s Rule was imposed.
The state has witnessed serious ethnic tensions over the past year, with clashes between Meiteis and Kukis-Zo communities since May 2023. The violence left at least 260 people dead and displaced over 50,000 residents, with the two communities largely living in separate districts.
The upcoming legislative party election is seen as a critical step in restoring an elected government and political stability in Manipur.