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Journalism of Courage
During his current Delhi visit marked with a packed schedule, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which would be their first meeting since the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities erupted in the state in May 2023.
CM Singh arrived in the national capital on Thursday evening to participate in the Niti Aayog meeting and the BJP CMs’ conclave being held on Saturday. He met Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday.
Singh’s flurry of meetings with the top BJP leaders seems to be a clear signal that the party leadership may not have an immediate plan to replace him with a new face in the strife-torn state, sources said.
The uncertainty and division gripping the Manipur BJP appear to have left the party high command with no choice other than continuing with Singh at the helm of the state government despite the persistent demands from the Opposition for his resignation. The BJP suffered a debacle in the recent Lok Sabha polls in the state, which saw the Congress wresting both the seats from the NDA.
The Opposition parties have been castigating Modi for not visiting Manipur even once in 14 months since the ethnic crisis engulfed the state, leaving over 200 people dead and tens of thousands displaced so far.
Besides the Opposition’s continuing pitch for Singh’s resignation, the BJP leadership has also been inundated with demands from a party section for a change at the top in the state.
On his part, Singh has repeatedly rejected these demands. He has also taken responsibility for the party’s rout in the Lok Sabha polls. He, however, recently told The Indian Express in an interview that “The working style (has to change). Central forces (in Manipur) must actively support the state government’s initiatives and help convince the original tribal people that the (state) government is not against them.”
According to BJP sources, the possibility of a change of guard in the Manipur government is not expected
as the party is left with not many options. “Most of the alternative choices, including those leaders who have sought Biren’s resignation and wanted to replace him, have lost credibility, and they would not be seen as neutral leaders. The party cannot appoint anyone who is seen as taking either side (Meitei or Kuki-Zo),” said a source. The imposition of the President’s rule on the state is also not considered prudent as it could send a “wrong message” across the country about the affairs concerning a BJP-ruled state. There had been speculation that state ministers Th Biswajit Singh and Govindas Konthoujam were contenders for the CM post.
The BJP leadership is also apprehensive about the “possible political moves” by Singh if he is removed, sources said. Singh has emerged as the most prominent Meitei leader in Manipur in recent years, and
his family still has “very strong Congress connections”, they said. Singh had switched from the Congress to the BJP in 2016, while his son-in-law and MLA Imo Singh followed suit in 2021. The BJP leadership fears that any move to replace Singh may trigger rebellion by a section of the party MLAs, sources said. “He (Biren Singh) is a difficult leader to handle. He has emerged as a strong leader in the Meitei community,” said a central BJP leader, who has had experience of handling the party affairs in the state.
While the Manipur imbroglio had figured as a major issue in the Opposition’s campaign in the Lok Sabha polls, any serious development in the state could also have its repercussions in the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand.
Not just in Manipur, the Congress’s victory in neighbouring Nagaland in its lone Lok Sabha seat also jolted the BJP leadership. The BJP swept the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly polls, but all its 31 candidates lost in the Sikkim Assembly polls swept by the Prem Singh Tamang-led SKM.
The BJP leadership is also worried about the impact of the Myanmar refugee crisis and the changing political scenario in neighbouring Bangladesh on the Northeastern region. While Mizoram and Nagaland have welcomed Chin-Kuki-Zo and Naga refugees from Myanmar, Manipur has deported many who have entered from Myanmar. “The new situation calls for a fresh approach and review of stand on many issues. The leadership has to keep the changed scenario in the neighbourhood in mind while dealing with the political situation in the region,” said a BJP leader.
Another BJP leader familiar with the party’s functioning in the Northeast said that “bringing peace is the only mission that is required in Manipur now”. He said, “All that we have to do is to bring both sides (Meiteis and Kuki-Zos) to the table for discussions, it shouldn’t be about a new state nor about driving out people. It has to be about co-existence and the Chief Minister will have to do it.”
The BJP leader also said the PM has categorically communicated to the state party leaders that he “does not want any blame game, but time-bound peace agenda”.
