IMPHAL — Two days after the resignation
of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, uncertainty over next government
formation prevails even as a section of political leaders frantically make
queries about prospects of President’s Rule in the state.
The
possibility of President’s Rule issue dominated the headlines after the
Governor made the budget session of the Manipur assembly 'null and void' hours
after Biren Singh quit on Sunday.
The
Budget session of the Manipur Assembly was scheduled to start on Monday
(February 10) with the customary speech of the Governor and it would have
continued till February 24. On February 14, Chief Minister Biren Singh, who
also held the Finance portfolio, was expected to submit the Budget estimates
for the financial year 2025-26.
A top
official said that the last session of the Manipur assembly was held in August
last year and as part of the constitutional mandate another session must be
held within six months.
“By
February 12, the assembly session has to be started to maintain the gap of six
months between the two sessions,” the official clarified while talking to
IANS.
Meanwhile,
hectic parleys were going on to choose an alternate leader of the ruling BJP
legislature party who would lead the new government. The BJP's northeast
in-charge Sambit Patra held dozens of meetings since Sunday night with the
caretaker Chief Minister Biren Singh, other Ministers, MLAs and leaders of BJP
and other saffron party allies to take their views before selection of the new legislature
party leader.
Patra,
a Lok Sabha member from Puri (Odisha), also held meetings with the Governor at
the Raj Bhavan. According to a top BJP leader, state Assembly Speaker Thokchom
Satyabrata Singh and Municipal Administrations, Housing and Urban Development
(MAHUD) Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, Rajya Member from Manipur Maharaja
Sanajaoba Leishemba are the frontrunners for the chief minister’s post.
“The
party is trying to choose a leader who will be acceptable both among tribals –
Kuki-Zo-Hmar and Naga and majority non-tribal Meitei communities,” a leader
told IANS, refusing to be named. He said that last week, the Central BJP
leaders called CM Biren Singh along with three ministers, a few leaders and
MLAs to Delhi and discussed the political and ethnic situation in Manipur.
The
central leaders also separately called Satyabrata Singh and Khemchand Singh and
discussed political issues in the trouble-torn state. Both Satyabrata Singh,
Khemchand Singh and Leishemba belong to the Meitei community in Manipur.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly
in the Imphal Valley while Nagas and Kuki-Zo-Hmar constitute little over 40 per
cent and reside in the hill districts.
Around
two years after the ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmar broke
out in Manipur and devastated the state, Chief Minister Biren Singh on Sunday
submitted his resignation letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla a day before the
crucial Assembly session, which however was cancelled by the Governor on Sunday
night.
The
Governor accepted the resignation letter and requested Biren Singh to continue
as the caretaker Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made. Biren
Singh accompanied by Sambit Patra returned to Imphal from Delhi on Sunday
afternoon before meeting the Governor to submit the resignation letter.
In the
national capital, Biren Singh held meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah
and party President, J.P. Nadda.
A top
party leader said that following the directions from the central BJP leaders,
Biren Singh unwillingly submitted his resignation letter to the Governor.
Biren
Singh's resignation comes amid hectic political activities, with the Opposition
Congress earlier announcing to move a no-confidence motion against the BJP
government in the Assembly session, that was set to begin on Monday but the
Governor made the session 'null and void' hours after Biren Singh quit.
