New Delhi/Imphal: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Monday, initiated the process to elect a new Chief Minister in Manipur, where President’s Rule has been in force since February 13 last year, following the resignation of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh amid prolonged ethnic violence.
The BJP Parliamentary Board has appointed Tarun Chugh, BJP’s National General Secretary, as the Central Observer for the election of the Legislative Party Leader in Manipur.
“BJP Parliamentary Board has appointed Tarun Chugh, party’s National General Secretary, as Central Observer for the election of the Legislative Party Leader in Manipur,” BJP’s National General Secretary and headquarter incharge said in a press statement.
However, when the Legislative Party meeting will be held is not yet disclosed by the BJP.
Senior Central leaders of the BJP are likely to hold a crucial meeting with MLAs of the party and its NDA allies from Manipur in New Delhi on Monday or Tuesday to discuss key issues concerning the state.
According to party sources, a large number of MLAs belonging to the BJP and its supporting parties have already reached New Delhi.
Former Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh and Manipur BJP President Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi are accompanying the party MLAs.
Before leaving Imphal for New Delhi, Sharda Devi said that all NDA MLAs have been called by the Central BJP leadership to discuss various issues related to the state.
“We are expecting that the issue of government formation will be discussed,” Sharda Devi had told the media.
Former Chief Minister Biren Singh said that since all MLAs of the NDA allies have been invited to the meeting, he expects a positive outcome.
“We were only asked to reach Delhi for a meeting. No specific agenda was communicated to us,” he added.
The Union government had imposed the President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13 last year, four days after Biren Singh resigned as the Chief Minister of the state.
The President’s Rule is scheduled to end on February 12 this year.
The 60-member Manipur Assembly, which has a tenure until 2027, has been kept under suspended animation.
Following the imposition of President’s Rule, senior BJP Central leaders, including party’s National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh and the party’s Northeast In-Charge Sambit Patra, held a series of meetings with Manipur MLAs in both New Delhi and Imphal.
Earlier, on December 14 last year, the Manipur BJP Legislature Party held a meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi to discuss the peace process and other key issues concerning the violence-hit state.
The meeting was attended by more than 34 BJP MLAs, including former Chief Minister Biren Singh and State Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, along with B.L. Santhosh, Sambit Patra and Manipur BJP President Sharda Devi.
In a post on its official X account, the BJP had said: “The Manipur BJP Legislature Party meeting was held today at the BJP headquarters in Delhi in the presence of BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh ji and party’s Northeast Coordinator Sambit Patra ji.”
“The discussion centred on peace and progress in Manipur,” the party added.
The BJP has 37 MLAs in the state Assembly, while its NDA allies — the National People’s Party (NPP) and the Naga People’s Front (NPF) — have six and five MLAs respectively.
Three Independent MLAs are also supporting the BJP-led NDA.
(IANS)
