Manipur: 10 NDA MLAs meet governor, seek ‘popular government' in state
The 10 MLAs are the BJP's Yumnam Radheshyam Singh, Thockchom Radheshyam Singh, Lourembam Rameshwar Meitei, Thangjam Arunkumar, Kh Raghumani Singh, Kongkham Robindro Singh and Paonam Brojen Singh, the National People's Party's Sheikh Noorul Hassan and Janghemliung Panmei and Independent MLA Sapam Nishikanta.
Thockchom Radheshyam Singh has claimed that 44 MLAs support the formation of the government, The Indian Express reported. 'Given the way things have gone and the pressure from the public, we expressed to the governor that it's the right time to install a popular government,' he told the newspaper.
Manipur has been mired in ethnic conflict between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar communities that broke out in May 2023. The violence has since left at least 260 dead and displaced more than 59,000. There were periodic upticks in violence in 2024.
President's Rule was imposed on February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned earlier that day. Bhalla has been administering Manipur since then.
After meeting with the governor on Wednesday, Thockchom Radheshyam Singh said that the President's Rule was an emergency move and should be the last option. 'If the new popular government fails, you can reimpose President's Rule again in full throttle,' he said, according to The Indian Express .
The BJP MLA claimed that the group has the support of all the legislators in the Assembly except for the 10 from the Kuki-Zo community and five from the Congress.
Seven out of the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs won their Assembly seats on BJP tickets. Two belong to the Kuki Peoples' Alliance and one is an Independent.
The Manipur Assembly has 60 seats, of which one fell vacant after the death of an MLA.
Independent MLA Sapam Nishikanta Singh said that the delegation submitted a signed document to Bhalla affirming their support for a 'popular government', India Today NE reported. He said that the document had the signatures of 22 MLAs from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
'We expect the formation of the popular government to happen soon,' the Independent MLA said. 'We are appealing to the Governor that we want a popular government. All NDA MLAs in Manipur are very keen to have a popular government installed. We also want the support of the public.'
On April 29, a group of 21 NDA MLAs had written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah urging him to restore a 'popular government' in the state. They had contended that this was the only way to bring back peace and normalcy in Manipur.
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