Will Khemchand Singh Be Manipur’s Next CM? BJP MLA Awaits Party High Command’s Decision

Amid the ongoing political crisis in Manipur following Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s resignation, BJP MLA Y Khemchand Singh said on Monday that all party members would go by the call taken by the high command regarding the next leadership. Instead, he said the priority now should be the restoration of peace in the violence-hit state, especially between the Kuki and Meitei communities.

“We accept the decision taken by the high command. The problem is gone. The problem we are facing now is how to bring back normalcy. As per the system of the party, whatever the party’s high command decides, we have to accept it. All the members will accept the party’s decision,” Y Khemchand Singh told ANI when asked about Biren Singh’s successor.

NPP Withdraws Support, Criticizes Biren Singh’s Leadership

Meanwhile, Sheikh Noorul Hassan, the working president of the National People’s Party (NPP), clarified the party’s decision to withdraw support from Singh’s government. Hassan accused Singh of failing to restore peace in the state but reaffirmed NPP’s allegiance to the NDA alliance.

“NPP has withdrawn support from N Biren Singh govt. We do not believe in his leadership because he fails to restore normalcy and peace in Manipur. His resignation from the CM post is a welcome step towards restoring peace and normalcy in the state. We are a part of the NDA alliance at the Centre, we will always cooperate and work with BJP as part of NDA to bring normalcy to the state,” Sheikh Noorul Hassan told reporters.

Biren Singh’s Resignation and Political Developments

On Sunday, Chief Minister Biren Singh submitted his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhavan, stepping down nearly two years after violence erupted in Manipur. He was accompanied by BJP president A Sharda, BJP’s North East in-charge Sambit Patra, and at least 19 MLAs.

In his resignation letter, Singh expressed gratitude to the Centre for its efforts in Manipur. “It has been an honour to serve the people of Manipur so far. “I am extremely grateful to the Central government for timely actions, interventions, developmental work and implementation of various projects for safeguarding the interest of every single Manipuri,” Singh stated.

Background of Manipur’s Ethnic Violence

The ongoing conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities escalated after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3, 2023. The rally was in response to a Manipur High Court order directing the state to consider including the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list. Since then, violence has continued, making political stability and peace restoration crucial priorities for the state’s leadership.

With Biren Singh’s exit, all eyes are now on the BJP high command’s decision regarding the next chief minister and the roadmap for restoring order in Manipur.