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Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has strongly criticized the BJP-led government over the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, calling it a case of “shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.” In a scathing tweet, Kharge condemned the government for its failure to maintain law and order in the state over the past 21 months.
“It is painful to say that for 21 months, the BJP ignited a fire in Manipur and left the people, across communities, to fend for themselves. Their rank incompetence and utter disregard for Rajdharma resulted in at least 258 people having died, more than 5,600 arms & 6.5 lakh rounds of ammunition were looted from police armouries, more than 60,000 people displaced and thousands still forced to live in relief camps,” Kharge said in his statement.
PM Modi Under Fire for Inaction
Kharge also directly blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for ignoring the crisis in Manipur, stating that Modi had completely failed the people of the state.
“Prime Minister @narendramodi is the real culprit of this disdain and apathy. He has forgotten that Manipur is a part of India. It is high time he rejigs his memory and locate the state of Manipur on the map of India!” he tweeted.
The resignation of BJP’s Manipur CM is like ‘shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted’!
It is painful to say that for 21 months, the BJP ignited a fire in Manipur and left the people, across communities to fend for themselves.
Their rank incompetence and utter…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) February 9, 2025
Kharge pointed out that Modi had not visited Manipur since his last election campaign in January 2022, despite making time for multiple foreign visits.
“Now that the CM has belatedly resigned, we hope and urge him to visit Manipur and hear the stories of horror from the people,” he added.
Congress Takes Credit for CM’s Resignation
Kharge credited the Congress party’s no-confidence motion, mounting public pressure, and the Supreme Court’s intervention for forcing Biren Singh’s resignation. He remarked that this time, it was not a “2023-like resignation drama” and expressed relief that the move had finally taken place.
“Thank goodness that this time it’s not a 2023-like-resignation-drama, and better sense has prevailed!” Kharge wrote.
BJP Struggles to Find Biren Singh’s Replacement
With N Biren Singh stepping down, the BJP now faces the crucial task of finding his successor. Sources suggest that the party’s central leadership is buying time to build a consensus on who will lead Manipur next.
According to an official statement from Raj Bhavan in Imphal, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has asked Biren Singh to remain in office as caretaker CM until a suitable replacement is appointed. Reports indicate that a meeting is underway in Delhi, and the decision will be communicated to the Governor soon.
Suspended Assembly and Possibility of President’s Rule
While resigning, Singh recommended placing the Manipur Assembly under suspended animation, allowing MLAs to deliberate on his replacement. However, since no leader currently enjoys majority support within the BJP, there is speculation that the Centre may impose President’s Rule in the state.
Hours after Singh’s resignation, Governor Bhalla issued a notification canceling the previous order summoning the Assembly, which was set to convene on Monday. A senior BJP leader in Manipur stated, “The CM has recommended the suspended animation of the Assembly. Biren Singh is likely to continue as the caretaker till the Centre takes a call on it.”
Governor Bhalla is expected to submit his report to the Centre in the coming days, which could lead to the imposition of President’s Rule.
Political Uncertainty and Internal BJP Discussions
The BJP is considering potential replacements for Biren Singh, with names such as Manipur Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh and Urban Development Minister Yumnam Khemchand emerging as possible candidates. However, party sources emphasize that a decision will only be made after extensive discussions.
Some BJP insiders believe President’s Rule may be imposed for four to five months while the party finalizes its choice for CM. President’s Rule can be extended in six-month intervals as needed.
A senior BJP MLA expressed faith in the leadership’s decision-making, stating, “We all are disciplined karyakartas (workers) of the party. We have not taken any steps that would embarrass the party or the leadership. I am sure the leadership will hold discussions and find a replacement for Biren Singh.”
However, another BJP legislator warned that an extended President’s Rule could harm the party’s credibility. “We have 37 out of 60 MLAs in the Assembly. Our allies NPF and NPP have a total of 11 MLAs. We have a complete majority. The government has to be run by the state BJP. Neither is there a political crisis in that sense nor is the law and order situation worse than what it has been for so many months,” he stated.
Ethnic Divide on Governance
Opinions on the future governance of Manipur remain divided along ethnic lines. Kuki-Zo groups favor direct control by the Centre, while the Meitei community largely opposes President’s Rule.
Henlianthang Thangliet, chairperson of the Kuki-Zo Council, welcomed the possibility of Central rule, stating, “Biren Singh’s resignation has come very late, but it will be very good for us if there is President’s Rule in the state. If they choose another leader from the Valley, it will just be old wine in a new bottle. If the Centre is in charge, we can talk directly to the Governor. If that happens, I will be more optimistic.”
On the other hand, Meitei civil society leader Jeetendra Ningomba, former coordinator of COCOMI, firmly opposed President’s Rule. “The people of Manipur have suffered for a long time under President’s Rule and have struggled against it. It is not acceptable to civilians. But if there is a new Chief Minister, there will be more divisions in our community, which is very unfortunate. We need unity and integrity,” he said.
