NEW DELHI, May 3: The Congress party has demanded immediate fresh elections in Manipur, citing continued instability and deepening humanitarian concerns in the state, even months after President’s Rule was imposed.
Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters on Saturday, Saptagiri Ulaka, the party’s Manipur in-charge and MP from Koraput (Odisha), slammed the central government for its delayed and inadequate response. “It has been two years since the violence began, and what we are witnessing is one of the most severe humanitarian disasters in recent Indian history,” Ulaka said.
The ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which erupted on May 3, 2023, has claimed over 260 lives, left approximately 1,500 injured, and displaced more than 70,000 people, according to official data.
Ulaka criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for staying silent on the matter despite his various international and domestic engagements. “Even though we repeatedly sought a discussion on the issue, the Prime Minister chose not to address it,” he said.
He highlighted that President’s Rule was only imposed in February 2025, nearly 20 months after the onset of violence, yet the situation remains far from normal. Ulaka urged the government to dissolve the suspended Manipur Legislative Assembly and conduct fresh elections to install a democratically elected government. “Manipur needs a people’s government, not prolonged central control,” he stated.
The assembly remains under suspended animation and its term is valid until 2027. Ulaka further claimed that the Centre acted only after the Congress party proposed a no-confidence motion against the state government. “Before the motion could be tabled, Singh stepped down. This shows the government’s evasiveness,” he said, referring to former CM N. Biren Singh’s resignation.
Ulaka described the Centre’s approach as “callous,” and demanded that the Prime Minister visit Manipur, meet the affected communities, and lay out a clear roadmap for peace and rehabilitation, particularly for the thousands still living in relief camps.
He also questioned the government’s silence over the Ajay Lamba Commission of Inquiry, set up to investigate the violence. “The report has neither been made public nor debated in Parliament. This raises serious concerns about transparency and intent,” he noted.
Echoing Ulaka’s remarks, Manipur Congress chief Keisham Meghachandra Singh accused the BJP of being complicit in the ongoing violence. “The BJP’s so-called double-engine government has completely failed to protect the lives and homes of the people,” Singh said.
He further stated that constitutional mechanisms in the state have broken down and argued that a Congress-led government could pave the way for lasting peace. “We appeal to the people of Manipur to choose peace and reject force. The BJP cannot bring peace — it has only prolonged the conflict,” he asserted.
Earlier in the day, Assam Congress MLA also resigned from a district panel, citing internal leadership disputes, adding to the political turmoil within the region.
