Day after meeting with Manipur CM where MLAs spoke their mind, 7 land in Delhi to press Centre for ‘solution’
In the midst of the ongoing Parliament session, a group of NDA MLAs from Manipur arrived in Delhi on Friday to press the central leadership for a resolution to the ongoing ethnic strife in the state, The Indian Express has learnt.
According to official sources, at least seven MLAs from the BJP and its ally Naga People’s Front arrived in the national capital on Friday. This comes a day after Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh chaired a meeting with NDA MLAs — barring 10 Kuki-Zomi legislators — which he said was to “deliberate on the current situation in Manipur”. Those in attendance included MLAs from the BJP, NPF, NPP and JDU.
Sources said several MLAs expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the crisis, and conveyed the pressure they were feeling from the public. The crisis in Manipur began nearly 14 months ago, in May 2023.
One of the BJP MLAs who reached Delhi on Friday, K Ibomcha Singh, who is also the Manipur BJP spokesperson, said the legislators had come to pay a “courtesy call” to the central leadership.
“Yesterday, we had a meeting of NDA MLAs chaired by the Chief Minister, and in that we decided to meet the Prime Minister, Home Minister and other senior leaders as a courtesy call and to register a fresh request to bring an honourable solution to the problem in the state. Some others will come tomorrow. Others, including the Chief Minister, will come later after we get an appointment,” he said.
“The Manipur issue is included in the 100-day programme for the new central government, so we have decided to pursue the central leaders to bring a solution as it is included in the priority list,” he said.
The movement of MLAs to Delhi sparked speculation on whether there is trouble brewing for the state government. Speaking to The Indian Express, Chief Minister Singh dismissed this, saying that “it has nothing to do with politics”. He too called it a courtesy call to the Prime Minister.
“The Prime Minister and Union Home Minister are doing all they can to wholeheartedly overcome any challenges confronting the state. Unfortunately, the parliament session is underway, because of which all of us cannot be there. But eventually, we will visit New Delhi and press for peace in the state,” he said.
A BJP MLA who was present at Thursday’s meeting said the legislators had highlighted the simmering discontent. “For 14 months, there has been no normalcy, and what is in people’s hearts was reflected in the Lok Sabha election result. People are not happy with us. All the MLAs are feeling this. In previous visits to Delhi, there has not been a proper response from the Centre. Many MLAs want a final message to be given,” said the MLA.
Both Lok Sabha seats in Manipur, earlier represented by NDA MPs, have been won by the Congress.
Another legislator, who is with one of BJP’s allies, said, “The MLAs have expressed their displeasure and anger but there is no concrete plan. We are under extreme pressure from the public. The MLAs said we should go to Delhi and seek an appointment with the Prime Minister and say that there has been no normalcy for over a year and that a drastic political decision should be taken. We want something concrete to be done.”
There are 60 MLAs in the Manipur assembly, of whom 10 are from the Kuki-Zomi community -- including eight from the NDA -- who have not been participating in the assembly since the violence broke out. Of the other 50 MLAs, only five are from the opposition Congress and two are Independent MLAs, while the rest are with the NDA. The BJP had won 32 of 60 assembly seats in 2022, but five JDU MLAs had joined the BJP later that year.
For the latest news from across India, Political updates, Explainers, Sports News, Opinion, Entertainment Updates and more Top News, visit Indian Express. Subscribe to our award-winning Newsletter Download our App here Android & iOS