Manipur BJP President Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi addresses media after party MLAs' meeting in Imphal.
Credit: PTI Photo
Guwahati: The process to restore a "popular government" in strife-torn Manipur is embroiled on the same question: who will be the new CM? Central leadership of BJP has asked the legislators to reach a unanimous decision about the next CM as they stepped up demand for forming a "popular government" in the state.
A BJP MLA in Manipur told DH on Tuesday that the message was conveyed to the legislators during a meeting on Sunday in Imphal which was attended by at least 22 MLAs.
"The party will restore the government only if a unanimous decision is reached about the next CM candidate. The party is not in favour of Biren Singh as most of civil society organisations in the valley and hills are opposed to his leadership. But the central leadership wants a unanimous decision about a replacement," he said.
Sources said although N Biren Singh was seen taking lead in the demand for restoration of a "popular government," the party leadership stressed on unanimous decision in order to avoid similar situation under which President's Rule was promulgated in February.
The Centre promulgated the President's Rule after Biren Singh quit after nearly two years of conflict involving the Meitei and the Kukis and the BJP legislators failed to come up with his replacement.
There were at least four contenders: Y Khemchand, Th Satyabrata Singh, Th Biswajit Singh and Govindas Konthoujam, all senior BJP legislators, as Biren's replacement.
Sources within BJP, however, said Biren Singh reached out to all four contenders and tried to convince them to work under his leadership as CM again.
"The Centre will soon restore a popular government," Biren told reporters in Imphal on Sunday.
But sources said the central leadership was taking feedback from all MLAs as well civil society organisations, both in the hills and the Valley, before withdrawal of the President's Rule. The matter was discussed in the meeting between MHA officials and leaders of three influential Meitei organisations, Co-Cordination Committee on Manipur Unity (COCOMI), Federation of Civil Society Organisation (FOCS) and All Manipur United Clubs Organisation (AMUCO), sources said.
BJP has 37 MLAs in the House of 60 but 10 MLAs belonging to Kuki-Zo communities are unwilling to join the new government. Meanwhile, Opposition Congress have stepped up demand for fresh elections in the state. Congress has only five MLAs but won both the Lok Sabha seats in 2024.