Manipur Political Crisis: Congress Opposes President’s Rule, Advocates for Democratic Governance

IMPHAL: It's been just one day after Manipur's Chief Minister, N Biren Singh's resignation. Amid such growing uncertainty in the political setup of Manipur, the Manipur Congress firmly reacted against the imposition of the President's Rule or suspending the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

It insists that only the democratic government be implemented to continue upholding democratic values and establishing stability within the state.

Keisham Meghachandra Singh, president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), again repeated the party's stance on social media, saying that any move to put the President's Rule or place the Assembly under suspended animation would prove to be a blow to democracy. He argued that the people of Manipur deserve an elected government that represents the will of the people at the hustings rather than one foisted upon them by central authority.

The Congress leader's statement highlights the party's commitment to protecting the democratic structure in the state. Meanwhile, the BJP High Command is proactively deliberating upon a decision for a new Chief Minister, and an important meeting is scheduled to be held on February 12 in Delhi wherein the leadership transition will be weighed in discussion and deliberation among the MLAs that support the BJP. BJP northeast in charge Sambit Patra, since February 9, has remained stationed in Imphal.

The possibility of President's Rule remains a hot topic of speculation as the central government looks for measures to regain stability in Manipur. It has been over two years that the state is suffering from ethnic conflict, ever since May 3, 2023. With such long unrest, the BJP-led central government may look at direct intervention as an absolute necessity for law and order.

N. Biren Singh was first elected from the Heingang Assembly Constituency. He has played a very significant role in Manipur's political landscape.

He became Chief Minister on March 15, 2017, and secured his second term after the BJP's victory in the 2022 Manipur Legislative Assembly elections, where the party won 32 out of 60 seats. His resignation is going to be a defining moment for the BJP in the state because the party needs to grapple with the process of choosing a new leader amid the ongoing crisis. Discussions continue, and the fate of Manipur's governance still hangs in the balance.

The Congress party is still firm on demanding an elected government, but the responsibility of ensuring a smooth transition has now mounted on the leadership of the BJP. Most decisions will be taken in the coming days, and it will be largely those that decide if Manipur finally gets a new Chief Minister or enters President's Rule.

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