New Delhi: A major political shift may be underway in Manipur, as BJP MLA Thokchom Radheshyam Singh shared that 44 MLAs are ready to form a new government. Following a meeting with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhavan, Singh, accompanied by nine fellow MLAs, said the group expressed their collective willingness to establish a government reflecting the will of the people.
“We informed the governor that 44 MLAs are ready. We also discussed possible solutions to the ongoing issues in the state,” he said. Singh emphasized that the final decision now rests with the BJP’s central leadership. He also noted that Assembly Speaker Th Satyabrata had engaged with all 44 MLAs individually and as a group, and claimed there was no internal opposition to forming a new government.
“Letting the governor know that we’re ready is akin to staking a claim. The central BJP leadership will take the final call. Speaker Th Satyabrata has met all 44 MLAs individually and collectively. There is no opposition to forming a new government,” he said.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February, following the resignation of then-Chief Minister N Biren Singh. His exit came amid widespread criticism over the government’s handling of the violent ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, which erupted in May 2023. The unrest has claimed over 250 lives and displaced thousands.
The political momentum builds amid fresh protests in the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley, sparked by a May 20 incident in Gwaltabi. Security personnel allegedly covered up the state’s name on a government bus, inflaming local sentiments. Meitei organizations have since demanded an apology from the governor and the resignation of top state officials, including the chief secretary, DGP, and the state’s security advisor.
The state remains mired in a protracted crisis, with Meitei groups adamant about preserving Manipur’s territorial unity, while Kuki-Zo leaders continue to demand separate administrative control over the hill districts.