Amid mounting pressure from within the state BJP and two visits to Delhi within a week, N. Biren Singh stepped down as Manipur Chief Minister on February 10, 2025, after losing the support of the party’s central leadership. His resignation marked the culmination of months of political turmoil, internal dissent, and public unrest.
The Build-Up to Resignation
For 21 months, Biren Singh faced opposition from Kuki-Zo leaders and waning popularity in the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley. The ethnic conflict that began on May 3, 2023, had left over 200 dead and deepened divisions in the state. Kuki-Zo groups and 10 MLAs from the community, including seven BJP MLAs, held Singh responsible for the violence.
The pressure intensified as BJP MLAs from the Valley repeatedly approached the party’s central leadership, including the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), seeking Singh’s replacement. Despite these appeals, the BJP leadership initially stood by him.
The breaking point came ahead of the Manipur Assembly’s Budget session, set to begin on February 10. Dissident MLAs, frustrated by the lack of action, planned to support a no-confidence motion proposed by the Congress. This unprecedented move threatened to destabilize the government.
The wheels of change began turning when Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, a critic of Biren Singh, met BJP president J.P. Nadda in Delhi. Satyabrata reportedly warned Nadda about the impending no-confidence motion, signaling that it could not be averted.
The Final Push
On February 3, Manipur Rural Development Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh traveled to Delhi, urging the BJP leadership to replace Biren Singh to prevent the government’s collapse. Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on February 4 to discuss the crisis.
Biren Singh made two trips to Delhi in the final days of his tenure. On February 5, he failed to meet Amit Shah and instead visited the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. However, on February 9, he returned to Delhi and held a two-hour meeting with Shah and Nadda, after which his resignation was finalized.
Why the BJP Leadership Relented
The BJP leadership’s decision to accept Singh’s resignation was influenced by several factors. The threat of a no-confidence motion, the Supreme Court’s scrutiny of leaked audio tapes allegedly implicating Singh in the ethnic conflict, and the party’s recent electoral setbacks in Manipur all played a role.
The Supreme Court had sought a sealed-cover report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory regarding the tapes, which raised questions about Singh’s viability as CM. Additionally, the BJP’s loss of both Lok Sabha seats in Manipur during the 2024 elections highlighted the growing discontent with Singh’s leadership.
-The Aftermath
With Singh’s resignation, the BJP aims to stabilize Manipur’s political landscape and address the ongoing ethnic conflict. The appointment of former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla as Governor and a complete overhaul of the state’s bureaucracy are part of these efforts.
The BJP leadership hopes that a new CM will restore trust in the government and pave the way for reconciliation between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities.
Conclusion
Biren Singh’s resignation marks the end of a tumultuous chapter in Manipur’s politics. As the BJP prepares to appoint a new leader, the focus will be on healing the state’s deep divisions and addressing the grievances of all communities.
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