GUWAHATI: 19 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs in Manipur have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding the removal of current Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
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This move comes after a meeting in Delhi that brought together MLAs from the Meitei, Kuki, and Naga communities, highlighting deepening divisions within the ruling party. The MLAs expressed concern over the state government's inability to restore peace and normalcy in Manipur, which has been gripped by ethnic violence and tensions for months.
Among the signatories are Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyavrat Singh, Minister Thongam Vishwajit Singh, and Yumnam Khemchand Singh, citing Singh’s lack of leadership in solving the ongoing communal crisis in the state.
In the letter, the legislators also cited pressure from their constituents to act if a solution is not found soon. They argued that Chief Minister Singh’s removal is essential to resolving the ongoing communal conflict and preventing further deterioration of the state’s situation.
The MLAs warned that the continued reliance on security forces alone would not resolve the crisis and could lead to irreversible damage to both Manipur and India's reputation.
Manipur has been landlocked in ethnic dispute between the tribal Kuki-Zo people and the majority Meitei community for over a year. The violence erupted after the All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) protested an order from the Manipur High Court; one that granted the Meitei community certain benefits.
