Manipur violence: Kuki People’s Alliance with 2 MLAs withdraws support to Biren govt

The two MLAs from the KPA in the current Manipur Assembly are Kimneo Haokip Hangshing and Chinlunthang, who represent Saikuland Singhat.

Formed in 2022, the KPA contested Assembly elections for the first time in the same year, winning the two seats. During the government formation process after that election, the party extended its support to the BJP.

The KPA was also one of 38 parties to attend the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting in New Delhi last month.

There are eight other MLAs from the Kuki community in the 60-member Assembly, all of whom are from the BJP, including two ministers. While these MLAs have openly been at loggerheads with the Biren Singh government, they still continue to be part of the government.

With the Manipur Assembly set to convene on August 21, PTI quoted BJP MLA from Churachandpur, LM Khaute, as saying that it would not be possible for him to attend the session “in view of the prevailing law and order situation”. He added to PTI that the violence and the lack of a resolution to demands made by the Kukis for a separate administration “will not make it possible for all the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar MLAs to attend the session”.

Also on Sunday, the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a Meiti organisation, announced a “social boycott” of the Manipur government, its MLAs and functionaries with immediate effect, saying that they had failed to convene a special Assembly session to discuss the ongoing crisis.

The boycott call came two days after the state Cabinet recommended to the Governor of Manipur that the fourth session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly be convened on August 21.

COCOMI said its demand was for an urgent special Assembly session, not a normal session.

Jeetendra Ningomba, COCOMI coordinator, said the government has disregarded the people’s resolutions and aspirations by failing to convene the Assembly.

The boycott call comes a day after five people were killed in a fresh violence in the border areas between Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Manipur Police suspended five police personnel, including the station in-charge of the area where the incident of two women being stripped and paraded by a mob had taken place on May 4, PTI quoted officials as saying on Sunday.

Police have also ordered a time-bound inquiry under an Inspector General of Police to investigate events leading to the looting of an armoury on Thursday in Bishnupur, the officials said, according to PTI.