New Delhi/Imphal: With the ruling BJP in Manipur failing to elect a successor to N Biren Singh for four days, the Centre on Thursday imposed President's Rule in Manipur.
The imposition of the President's Rule came four days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh tendered his resignation to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday. With the imposition of the President's rule, the Centre has effectively taken control of the state's administration.
The imposition of the President's Rule became evident in Manipur when the state failed to hold its assembly session, which was scheduled for Monday last. As per the Constitutional provisions, the Governor has to recommend to the Centre for President's Rule if the state fails to convene a session of the Assembly within six months, which expired in Manipur on Tuesday.
It may be mentioned here that BJP's in-charge for northeastern state Sambit Patra, who had been camping in Manipur, engaged in a series of meetings with the senior BJP leaders of the state to have a consensus candidate for the post of Chief Minister.
Pressure had been mounting on Chief Minister N Biren Singh for resignation for his failure to handle the violence which has left the whole state divided on ethnic lines.
While at least 19 legislators of the Manipur legislative assembly had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October last year seeking to replace Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the recent Supreme Court instruction order seeking the production of the report of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory on the examination of certain audio tapes which allegedly recorded the statements to N Biren Singh suggesting his involvement in the State's ethnic violence have also put the pressure on the former Chief Minister.
The National Peoples' Party (NPP), a partner of the BJP-led government in Manipur, had also withdrawn its support from the BJP government in Manipur in November last year. While the NPP has remained a constituent of the BJP led-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre, the party has withdrawn its support from the BJP government in Manipur owing to the BJP-led government, particularly N Biren Singh's failure to handle the crisis in Manipur.
Singh's resignation on Sunday came nearly two years after bloody violence between the Meiteis and Kukis broke out in the state on May 3, 2023 which have so far left over 250 people from both communities dead and over 65,000 people displaced.
Meanwhile, Indigenous Tribal leaders' Forum (ITLF) a conglomeration of several tribal organisations in Manipur expressed happiness over the imposition and said that the President's Rule is more preferable than a change of Chief Minister.
"President's Rule will give a ray of hope to the Kuki-Zo, and we believe that it will be one step closer to our political solution. With the President's Rule, we believe the groundwork to end violence will begin, which will pave the way for a conducive environment for political dialogue," a senior ITLF leader said.
Finally what the Indian National Congress has been demanding for almost 20 months has happened. President's Rule has been imposed in Manipur.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 13, 2025
This has come after what the Supreme Court called 'the absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state' which saw the…
Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Jairam Ramesh said that what the Congress has been demanding for 20 months has finally happened. In a post on X, Ramesh said, "Finally what the Indian National Congress has been demanding for almost 20 months has happened. President's Rule has been imposed in Manipur. This has come after what the Supreme Court called 'the absolute breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state' which saw the killing of over 300 people and displacement of over 60,000 men, women, and children since May 3, 2023."
"This has come after the fabric of Manipur's society has been allowed to be severely damaged, if not totally destroyed. This has come after the BJP and its allies got a huge majority in February 2022, but whose politics led to the colossal tragedy just fifteen months later. This has come after the Union Home Minister has clearly failed to manage Manipur, which had been entrusted to him by the Prime Minister. This has come even as the globe-trotting PM steadfastly refuses to visit Manipur and begin the process of reconciliation," added Ramesh.
