Popular Government or Political Pantomime?

In the grand political theatre currently unfolding in Manipur, BJP MLAs and their alliance partners appear less like statesmen and more like actors auditioning for the role of saviours of democracy—without a script, without a plot, and most certainly without a cast that represents all communities. Draped in the grand rhetoric of forming a “popular government,” they parade imaginary majorities and rehearse their roles with all the dramatics of a Bollywood satire. Their grand gesture? A handwritten memo submitted to the Governor, followed by a string of closed-door meetings and sweeping claims of having the support of 44 MLAs—while conveniently pretending that seven Kuki-Zo MLAs, some elected on their very own party’s ticket, simply do not exist.
This surreal display is not just farcical; it is a dangerous parody of governance. These MLAs urge the Centre to revoke President’s Rule and reconstitute an elected government, yet brazenly disregard the very people whose inclusion would give any such formation real legitimacy. They gather in hotel rooms and echo chambers, issue proclamations, and bask in performative unity, all the while doing little to restore meaningful governance. The internal disarray within their own party—split between camps loyal to N. Biren Singh and Th. Satyabrata Singh—adds to the dysfunction. What emerges is not a movement for democratic restoration, but a circus of convenience fueled by ego and expediency.
The absurdity reaches its peak in their refusal to name a leader. Ten MLAs meet the Governor with a demand to form the government but fail to nominate anyone to lead it. Simultaneously, other members of the ruling party hint at forming new regional outfits, expressing discontent over continued delays. It’s a political orchestra in disarray, playing a chaotic tune with no conductor in sight. The drama builds, but the audience—namely the citizens—are left bewildered by the sheer incoherence of it all.
The insistence on a “popular government” rings hollow when the Kuki-Zo voice is absent. Attempting to re-establish an elected government without including the Kuki-Zo MLAs, many of whom remain in self-imposed exile due to security threats and ethnic tensions, is akin to staging a grand musical in an empty theatre. The BJP and its allies seem comfortable constructing a façade of majority while ignoring the deeper crisis of exclusion and mistrust that haunts Manipur’s fractured social and political landscape.
Civil society organisations such as COCOMI have rightfully expressed skepticism, viewing the move less as a sincere attempt at healing the state’s wounds and more as a pressure tactic aimed at influencing the Governor and the Centre. As the Imphal Times earlier noted, this is no vision for stability—it is political posturing dressed in the language of democratic revival.
If irony were currency, these MLAs would be millionaires by now. On one hand, they shout for a return to elected rule. On the other, they undermine the very foundations of that demand by rejecting inclusive dialogue and representative leadership. In one breath, they champion democracy. In the next, they plot political splinters and party breakaways. What Manipur faces is not governance, but the performance of power—a masquerade of authority, rich in drama but devoid of substance.
Even as the Parliament begins its deliberations on the continuation or cessation of President’s Rule in Manipur, the MLAs on the ground seem more interested in their personal scripts than the collective future of the state. Is this truly a desire to restore democracy, or just another episode in an unending saga of political survivalism? Their declarations may draw polite interest in Delhi, but in Manipur, where conflict, displacement, and governance vacuum persist, this pantomime evokes only frustration and fatigue.
Unless these self-appointed custodians of democracy can demonstrate the political will to include all voices—particularly the Kuki-Zo MLAs—offer clear leadership, and present a coherent roadmap toward peace, their repeated calls for reinstating popular government remain just that: calls, without conviction. Manipur deserves a government that includes, not excludes; that leads, not lingers in limbo.
The time for theatrics is over. When Parliament takes up the debate on President’s Rule, it must look beyond the loudest claimants and listen to those who have been marginalised. In this moment of national introspection, let us remind ourselves that democracy is not built on paper declarations or factional dramas—it is built on the hard work of inclusion, accountability, and trust.
If these MLAs truly seek to “restore democracy,” then let them begin by practicing it. Otherwise, what we are witnessing is not governance at all—it is just another act in a long-running political farce.