Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh left Imphal for New Delhi today amid renewed political activity surrounding the state, triggering speculation over possible discussions within the BJP leadership on the political and administrative situation in Manipur.
According to reports, Biren Singh was called to the national capital for meetings with central leaders. His latest visit comes barely five days after he returned to Imphal from a two-day Delhi visit during which he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and raised issues including the demand for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census. Singh had subsequently said that Shah had responded positively to the demand.
The timing of the latest visit has attracted particular attention as political activity in Manipur has intensified over the past week. Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and BJP legislators have also travelled to Delhi amid protests and a shutdown over demands for NRC updation before the Census.
Biren Singh’s return to Delhi may therefore be linked to the Centre’s ongoing consultations on the NRC-Census issue and the broader security and political situation. However, the possibility of discussions concerning BJP organisation, the functioning of the Khemchand Singh government or an impending cabinet expansion cannot be ruled out.
Reports have already indicated renewed political consultations involving Biren Singh and BJP leaders over a possible expansion of the state cabinet.
Biren Singh remains an influential figure within the Manipur BJP despite stepping down as Chief Minister in February 2025. His repeated engagement with the central leadership, particularly amid the present political mobilisation over the Census and NRC, is consequently being closely watched in Imphal.
There is, however, no official indication that the latest Delhi visit is connected with any leadership change or cabinet reshuffle. Any such interpretation remains political speculation at this stage.
The immediate significance of the visit could lie in whether the Centre is preparing to take a clearer position on the NRC-before-Census demand, an issue that has increasingly become a major political flashpoint in Manipur. With the state government, civil society groups and BJP legislators separately pressing the Centre on the matter, Biren Singh’s latest consultations could add another layer to the emerging political equation.
For the Khemchand Singh government, the developments are significant. Any major decision by the Centre on the NRC, Census or related security and political questions is likely to have direct consequences for the state government’s handling of the current unrest.
For now, the central question is not whether Biren Singh has been summoned to Delhi, but what the Centre intends to discuss with him at a time when Manipur is once again experiencing intense political mobilisation.