Manipur CM Biren Singh Resigns Amid BJP Turmoil; Governor Cancels Assembly Session

IMPHAL: Hours after N Biren Singh resigned as the Chief Minister of Manipur, the state Governor notified on Sunday night that the legislative assembly session scheduled for February 10 would not convene. The notification further stated that previous orders summoning the assembly were now "null and void."

Biren Singh's resignation has come at the most critical moment, when one day from now, the session of the assembly was scheduled to start. It is also pertinent that his exit comes when the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had been bracing for a challenging time in the House when the restiveness within party ranks was gaining strength. This has also highlighted how much pressure has been mounting on the state leadership.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh commented on the development, stating that the Congress had prepared to move a no-confidence motion against Biren Singh and his Council of Ministers. In a post on X, he noted that the Chief Minister’s resignation was a strategic move to avoid the no-confidence motion. Ramesh emphasized that the Congress had been calling for Singh’s removal since May 2023, when tensions in Manipur escalated. He also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his absence in the state amid the prolonged crisis, pointing out that Modi had instead prioritized foreign visits to France and the USA.

Reports suggest that the BJP’s internal divisions played a crucial role in Biren Singh’s resignation. Growing discontent among several state BJP leaders about Singh's handling of the Manipur crisis was growing, and many were speaking out about the lack of a clear roadmap to peace in the state. According to a dissident BJP MLA from the valley, where the Meiteis form the majority, the government’s focus on peripheral issues such as border sealing, NRC implementation, and drug crackdowns had failed to address the core issue—restoring peace and normalcy.

Another BJP legislator reinforced this sentiment, stating that more than two-thirds of the party’s MLAs were unhappy with the current leadership. The lawmaker stressed that the situation in the state had become intolerable and that many within the party were prepared to take action in the public’s interest. With internal strife mounting, the crisis within the BJP had reached a tipping point, leading to Biren Singh’s resignation.

The unfolding political developments in Manipur signal a significant shift in the state’s governance. With the legislative assembly session now canceled and uncertainty looming over the BJP’s next steps, the state awaits clarity on its leadership and future political trajectory. The coming days will likely determine how the ruling party navigates this challenging period while addressing the deep-rooted issues that have plagued Manipur’s stability.

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