Stage set for all-party meeting on Manipur violence today, Sharad Pawar to skip but deputes two party leaders on his behalf

Amit Shah will chair an all-party meeting to discuss situation in Manipur at 3 pm today. Sharad Pawar has already expressed his inability to attend the meeting due to some pre-scheduled programme. CPI-M has not decided the names of leaders who would attend the meeting as the party has its politburo meeting on today and tomorrow.

New Delhi:Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar will skip the all-party meeting that has been scheduled today to discuss the Manipur situation while CPI-M is yet to decide the leaders who would attend it. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the meeting at 3 pm at Parliament Library Building. The Ministry has invited most of the political parties at the meeting.

Pawar has informed that he wanted to attend the meeting but would be unable to do so due to some important pre-scheduled programme. “Although I wanted to attend this meeting, but due to some important prior commitment, it would not be possible for me to do so,” Pawar said in a letter addressed to Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai. Pawar has assigned two of his party leaders including NCP general secretary Narendra Verma and Manipur NCP chief Soran Iboyaima Singh to attend the meeting on his behalf.

However, it is still undecided as to which leader from the CPI-M would attend the meeting. A senior leader from CPI-M told ETV Bharat that the party is yet to decide who will attend the meeting. “We have our politburo meeting on today and tomorrow. So, it’s not yet decided who will attend today’s all-party meeting on Manipur situation,” the leader said adding that CPI-M will demand resignation of Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh at the meeting.

Congress general secretary Pawan Khera will represent the party at the meeting. An opposition leader said they were hopeful that the meeting will come out with a resolution to end the ongoing ethnic conflict in Manipur.

"Outcome of the meeting depends on the strategy that is to be devised by the parties at the meeting. Although, I hardly think it will bring any immediate solution, but let's see,” writer and an expert on Manipur Pradip Phanjoubam said. According to Phanjoubam, a political will at all levels can bring a solution to the ethnic problem that prevails in Manipur for the last several decades.

Talking to ETV Bharat, president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Meghachandra Singh said that its too late to call the meeting. “Let's see what transpires in the meeting,” he said.

Earlier, former president of Congress Rahul Gandhi criticised PM Narendra Modi's silence on the situation in Manipur and said: “Its too late to call for such an all-party meeting.”

Manipur has been witnessing incidents of violence since May 3 between the two major communities of the State-Kukis and Meiteis. The state government has extended the internet ban till June 25 to prevent any further untoward incidents.