President's rule a ray of hope for Manipur: ITLF leader Ginza Vualzong

Churachandpur: Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) leader Ginza Vualzong on Thursday said the President's rule in Manipur will give a ray of hope to the Kuki-Zo community and added that having a new Meitei chief minister is "far from comforting".

Reacting to the imposition of President's rule in Manipur on Thursday, four days after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned from his position, Vualzong said the President's rule is preferable to a change of CM.

"The Kuki-Zo do not trust Meitei anymore, so a new Meitei CM is still far from comforting. The 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," he said.

Vualzong said under the President's rule, the groundwork to end violence will begin, which will pave the way for a conducive environment for political dialogue.

The Centre imposed President's rule in Manipur on Thursday, four days after Singh resigned as the chief minister of the state which is under the grip of ethnic violence since May, 2023.

A notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday said President Droupadi Murmu is of the opinion that "a situation has arisen in which the government of that state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution".

"Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 356 of the Constitution, and of all other powers enabling me in that behalf, I hereby proclaim that I - assume to myself as President of India all functions of the Government of the State of Manipur and all powers vested in or exercisable by the Governor of that State," the notification said.

The assembly has been put under suspended animation, it added.