His govt facing a crisis of confidence, Biren Singh calls meeting of Manipur MLAs today

Since then, mobs have targeted and vandalised the homes of several political leaders, largely associated with the BJP.

Further putting the CM’s back against the wall, on Sunday, Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party (NPP), the second-largest ally with seven MLAs in the BJP-led NDA state government, withdrew its support to the ruling alliance, citing its failure to “restore normalcy” and expressing “deep concern”.

In fact, Sangma’s letter to BJP chief JP Nadda mentioned the CM by name. “We strongly feel that the Manipur state government under the leadership of Shri Biren Singh has completely failed to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy. Keeping the current situation in mind, the National People’s Party has decided to withdraw its support to the Biren Singh led Government in the State of Manipur, with immediate effect,” he wrote.

While the move does not pose an immediate threat to the Biren government, as the BJP holds a comfortable majority with 37 MLAs of its own in the 60-member Assembly, it signals further erosion in support on the ground for the administration.

An NPP MLA told The Indian Express: “The state government is already at odds with seven BJP Kuki MLAs. Without the seven NPP MLAs, he (Biren) will struggle to prove his majority in the Assembly now.”

The Centre, too, has stepped in, with the MHA issuing an order and Home Minister Amit Shah holding a meeting to issue directions on how to try and control the violence in the state.