Former Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Okram Ibobi Singh has called on the BJP’s central leadership to elect a new Chief Minister for Manipur, emphasising the urgent need to restore peace and normalcy in the violence-hit state.
Speaking to the media, the veteran Congress leader criticised the delay in appointing a successor to N. Biren Singh, who tendered his resignation amid mounting internal discord within the ruling BJP. Ibobi pointed out that if the central leadership had the will, a new Chief Minister could have been sworn in immediately after Biren’s resignation was accepted by the Governor on Sunday.
“The Assembly session could have taken place as scheduled on February 10 if the Centre had acted on time,” he affirmed. He added that, at the directive of the BJP high command, a new Chief Minister could be sworn in at any hour, even at midnight, if necessary.
However, keeping the Assembly in limbo, even for a brief period, is undesirable and raises concerns about governance in the state.
Ibobi Singh strongly opposed any move to impose President’s Rule in Manipur, warning that such a step would be intolerable for the people of the state.“If the Centre is trying to manufacture a constitutional crisis in Manipur to justify the imposition of President’s Rule, it would be a great injustice to the people,” he stated.
His comments come at a time when Manipur remains on the edge following months of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.The north-east state has been grappling with law and order challenges since May 2023, and political instability within the ruling BJP has further complicated the situation.
Ibobi Singh, who served as Manipur’s Chief Minister from 2002 to 2017, reiterated that the Congress party was willing to provide constructive suggestions to the state government but would not hesitate to highlight its failures.
The Congress, which has only five MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Legislative Assembly, has been in the opposition since 2017 after the BJP formed the government in Manipur with support from regional allies.