After huddle, 23 Manipur BJP MLAs ‘resolve' to form ‘popular' govt
Twenty-three BJP MLAs of Manipur held a meeting Friday, after which they issued a statement saying that they 'resolved to put aside personal ambitions' in the 'larger interest' of working towards the formation of a popular government in the state, which has been under President's rule
since February 13 with the state Assembly being in suspended animation.
The BJP has a total of 37 MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, of whom seven are from the Kuki-Zo community and were not a part of the Friday meeting. While the signatories of its statement did not include former chief minister N Biren Singh or Speaker Th. Satyabrata Singh, they included party MLAs who had rebelled against Biren as well as those who had backed him till his resignation on February 9.
Satyabrata Singh had been one of the major dissidents against Biren Singh.
This meeting came two days after a group of 10 NDA MLAs met Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla in
the Imphal Raj Bhavan on May 28, claiming that they have the support of 44 MLAs for the formation of a popular government in the state.
'Acknowledging the deep public desire to see the formation of a popular government, we discussed pathways to achieve this with unity and selflessness. We resolved to put aside personal ambitions in the larger interest of the state, its people, and the vision of the BJP and its alliance partners in Manipur,' said a statement issued after the meeting.
It also stated, 'As elected representatives, we are united in our firm belief that a long-term solution to the crisis is both possible and necessary… we thoroughly examined mechanisms for inclusive dialogue involving representatives of all communities in Manipur. We strongly support the establishment of a neutral dialogue platform to facilitate constructive mediation between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, aimed at building trust and consensus on critical issues.'
It also stated that the idea of approaching the Governor or the BJP central leadership to appoint a 'neutral peace envoy or a panel of eminent persons, comprising voices from both within and outside Manipur' was proposed in the meeting.
The statement also emphasised on the need for 'inter-community people-to-people dialogue at the grassroots level' and for the recovery of looted weapons 'both in the hills and valley.'
Manipur has been roiled by a conflict between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos since May 3, 2023, which has killed over 250 people and left tens of thousands homeless.
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