Ten NDA MLAs urge Manipur Governor to restore popular government, claiming support of 44 legislators amid political vacuum and ongoing ethnic unrest under President’s Rule.
Amid continued uncertainty in Manipur under President’s Rule, ten MLAs of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and urged him to facilitate the formation of a new popular government in the violence-stricken state. The delegation, which included eight BJP MLAs and two from the National People’s Party (NPP), claimed they have the support of 44 legislators in the 60-member Assembly.
The MLAs submitted a formal petition to the Governor with the signatures of 22 legislators, demanding the reinstatement of an elected government, more than three months after President’s Rule was imposed on February 13. The Assembly has since been under suspended animation and remains technically in existence until its term ends in 2027.
According to a statement from Raj Bhavan, the MLAs not only discussed the formation of a government but also raised pressing issues concerning law and order, security arrangements, and the stalled peace process in Manipur. “The delegation also discussed initiating a peace process based on mutual understanding and the strengthening of security arrangements in the state,” the statement said.
While the central government has yet to publicly respond, Wednesday’s development signals a growing internal consensus within the NDA to end the constitutional limbo and reinstate democratic governance in Manipur.
BJP MLA Thokchom Radheshyam Singh, speaking to reporters after the meeting, claimed that a total of 44 MLAs are prepared to support the reinstallation of a popular government. “However, the final decision lies with the BJP’s central leadership,” he clarified, underscoring the importance of New Delhi’s nod for any such political move.
“The people of Manipur are suffering,” Singh said. “We lost two years to COVID-19 during the first BJP government, and more than two years have been lost now to ethnic violence. It is high time a government accountable to the people is reinstated.”
The recent political developments follow a similar move on Tuesday by former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who met the Governor and reportedly discussed restoration of peace and urgent steps to address long-standing issues including that of illegal immigration. Singh had resigned from his post on February 9, just four days before President’s Rule was promulgated.
Calls for political restoration have been growing louder. Earlier this month, BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Manipur, Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba, publicly expressed hope that a popular government would return within two months. “President’s Rule cannot resolve the complex issues plaguing Manipur,” he said. “We need a representative government that can work with the people and mediate a path to peace.”
Adding to the momentum, BJP’s Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra visited the strife-torn districts of Kangpokpi and Churachandpur earlier this month. He held closed-door meetings with Kuki MLAs Vungzagin Valte and Nemcha Kipgen, civil society groups like the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU), and various leaders including Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh. While no official details of the discussions were released, political observers view Patra’s visit as a prelude to a leadership-level decision on Manipur’s governance vacuum.
Notably, nearly three weeks ago, a group of 21 MLAs—including BJP, NPP, Naga People’s Front (NPF), and Independent legislators—wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. They urged the Centre to end President’s Rule and restore an elected government, citing growing public discontent and lack of visible progress in bringing peace to the region.
“The public initially welcomed President’s Rule with hope, but no meaningful steps have been taken so far to bring peace or stability,” said one of the MLAs who signed the letter. The prolonged instability, coupled with a complete breakdown in trust between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, has resulted in continued ethnic hostilities, displacement, and destruction.
In an effort to mediate, the Ministry of Home Affairs convened a tripartite meeting on April 5 in New Delhi involving representatives from both Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. More recently, the apex Meitei body, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), reaffirmed its commitment to peace in a separate meeting with MHA officials.
Despite the outreach and high-level engagement, Manipur remains fragile and divided. The calls for restoring political leadership are now gaining traction as MLAs push for an accountable administration to guide the state through its multiple crises.
While the central government has yet to publicly respond, Wednesday’s development signals a growing internal consensus within the NDA to end the constitutional limbo and reinstate democratic governance in Manipur. Until then, the future of Manipur’s administration remains at the discretion of the BJP’s top brass in New Delhi.
