BJP seeks consensus candidate to replace Biren Singh to avoid President's Rule in Manipur

Guwahati: The ruling BJP in conflict-torn Manipur on Monday continued efforts to find a consensus candidate for replacing Biren Singh as the Chief Minister as the saffron party seeks to avoid President's Rule.

BJP's in-charge of Manipur, Sambit Patra held separate meetings with several MLAs including the possible contenders for the CM's post in Imphal since Biren Singh submitted his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday evening. But sources said the party could not reach a consensus till Monday evening and Patra is likely to continue his efforts for the same.

Prominent leaders who met Patra included Yumnam Khemchand, a senior MLA, who had served as Speaker in Biren Singh's first tenure between 2017 and 2022. Khemchand is believed to be a critic of Biren Singh but is backed by the RSS.

The current Speaker Th. Satyabrata Singh, also Biren's critic, met Patra in the Imphal hotel and held discussions. Th. Biswajit Singh, who is still a Minister in the Biren cabinet, also met Patra. Singh is also seen as another contender for the CM's post. Biswajit was, in fact, a CM contender when BJP won the elections in Manipur for the second term in 2022. The party took at least 10 days to name Biren over Biswajit as the MLAs continued the juggling after the results.

On Sunday, Biren Singh submitted his resignation but Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla asked him to act as CM till "alternative arrangements" were made. Sources said BJP is likely to call the MLAs to New Delhi on Wednesday if the party fails to decide the consensus candidate.

BJP has 37 MLAs in the House of 60 but at least 10 Kuki MLAs, including seven belonging to BJP, have maintained a distance since the Meitei-Kuki conflict began in May 2023. On Monday, Patra also reached out to the Kuki MLAs. But the party's worry increased when several MLAs skipped a meeting convened by Biren in November and later on Friday and many even urged the high command to find a replacement for Biren. Biren quit a day before the Opposition Congress threatened to move a no-confidence motion in the Assembly on Monday. The Assembly session, however, was postponed by the Governor soon after Biren's resignation on Sunday.

NPP to restore support

The BJP, however, got a reprieve on Monday when National People's Party, an ally, decided to restore its support to the Manipur government given Biren Singh's resignation. The party had withdrawn support in November alleging that Biren Singh "miserably failed" to control the Meitei-Kuki conflict.