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After 21 months following the violence in Manipur, the Chief Minister (CM) N Biren Singh has tendered his resignation. This comes amid speculation about him getting cornered in a tight situation following the Congress pushing for a No Confidence Motion in the Manipur Assembly Session set to commence on February 10.
In a major political development, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has revoked the earlier order summoning the 7th Session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly. The decision, made under Clause (1) of Article 174 of the Constitution of India, has nullified the Assembly session.
The question is why has CM Biren Singh resigned, and more importantly why has been the resignation accepted this time by the Governor? Last time, when the Manipur CM had resigned in 2023, Singh found himself at the centre of a political storm, wherein his resignation letter was torn down by Cabinet Minister L Susindro Meiteri. Thousand of supports, mostly elderly women also known as Meira Paibis had gathered in front of this residence as well as Raj Bhawan.
The situation was different this time with no public protests and his MLAs and Cabinet Ministers standing alongside him as he tendered his resignation to the Governor.
The basic reading of the matter externally is that the Congress push for the no-confidence motion had rattled the confidence of the Biren-led government due to the political challenges. However, there was an internal discord which also impacted the decision. The dissatisfaction within his own party began to grow last year as a few of the BJP MLAs from the Valley have approached the party’s central leadership multiple times, including a petition to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in October 2024, to discuss the problems and the crisis in Manipur.
With their requests for a leadership change going unanswered, the dissenting MLAs were preparing to take what they called an “unprecedented and drastic step” by backing a no-confidence motion, which the Congress had indicated it was likely to introduce.
Since the outbreak of ethnic violence, the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly have refrained from attending its sessions, and they were not expected to participate in the now-revoked Assembly session. Along with that the National People’s Party (NPP) MLA N Kayisii passed away. The remaining members of the Assembly consist of 30 BJP representatives, five from its ally, the Naga People’s Front, one from another NDA partner, Janata Dal (United), two Independents, five Congress members, and six from the NPP, which had withdrawn its support for the Biren government last year. Combined with the growing discontent within the BJP’s own ranks, this situation could have significant consequences for the party.
The speculation of the resignation mounted as Biren Singh flew to Delhi to meet the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and upon not getting an appointment visited Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh along with a few of his cabinet colleagues. Later, on Saturday he flew back to Delhi to finally meet Amit Shah and JP Nadda just a day before his resignation as per sources.
The Central leadership had earlier backed Biren Singh as the CM, however, this time due to the political pressure had to take the plunge. Secondly, sources indicated that strained relationships with a few of the NDA allies had also mounted pressure on the NDA alliance in Manipur. NPP had earlier shown reservation against the Biren led Government when NPP supremo Conrad Sangma openly stated, that his NPP may support the BJP in Manipur again if a change in leadership in the ethnic conflict-scarred State leads to an environment of peace.
The course of action next for Manipur will be crucial in two accounts. Firstly, the MLAs will decide on a new name who will lead the state until the 2027 elections with the likes of Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Yumnam Khemchand Singh or Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, Speaker of Manipur Assembly doing the rounds. Secondly, it would be unwise to say this is the end for Biren Singh after his resignation as he has enjoyed considerable popularity among the valley-based civil society organisations and still have the favour of many of the MLAs and the Cabinet Ministers and his role in the 2027 elections will be crucial for the BJP to come back to power.
