BJP MLAs from Manipur, currently camping in New Delhi since yesterday, have yet to secure appointments with either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Union Home Minister Amit Shah amid ongoing deliberations over the formation of a new government in the state.
Sources said that 27 BJP legislators (subject to confirmation) held a hectic meeting yesterday at Manipur Bhavan on Sardar Patel Marg, aimed at discussing the selection of a leader to head a new government. However, the meeting concluded without a consensus on the leadership, with the MLAs reportedly deferring the matter to the central BJP leadership. The group adopted a common resolution to request appointments with the PM, Home Minister, and BJP National President, emphasizing the need to restore a popularly backed government in Manipur.
An unconfirmed report circulating on social media claims that former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has proposed Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh to lead the formation of the government. The report suggests that Biren Singh has distanced himself from the Chief Minister’s race, reportedly expressing support for the Speaker to assume leadership of the new administration. This however is skeptic as the people have witness souring relations between the two in the last couple of months.
The MLAs are scheduled to meet Sambit Patra, BJP’s in-charge for Manipur, in Delhi today to discuss the proposal and push for government formation under Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh. Sources described the meeting as positive, with broad consensus among legislators on the need to establish a stable government with popular support.
However, a highly reliable source indicated that the central BJP leadership is not actively facilitating government formation in Manipur, citing political complications, including the continued distancing of 10 Kuki MLAs, and the party’s focus on the Bihar Assembly elections, which are being treated as a high-stakes contest. Analysts suggest that any move on Manipur’s government may be delayed until the Bihar election outcome is clear.