IMPHAL, June 30: In a key political move aimed at ending the ongoing President’s Rule in Manipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) convened a meeting of its legislators on Sunday to push for the restoration of a popularly elected government in the state. The meeting precedes the third round of dialogue scheduled in New Delhi between civil society organisations from Manipur and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding the continuing crisis.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh confirmed that the BJP has conveyed its readiness to form an elected government. “The BJP legislators have already signalled to the Centre that they are ready to form a popular government,” he stated.
The former Chief Minister also welcomed the scheduled talks in Delhi between central officials and key civil society organisations, including the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), All Manipur United Clubs’ Organisation (AMUCO), and the Federation of Civil Society Organisations (FOCS). He termed the upcoming dialogue as a “constructive step toward peace and reconciliation.”
State BJP president A. Sharda Devi emphasized the party’s alignment with public sentiment. “We had a meeting over a cup of tea and presented a report of our recent discussions with national leaders. We conveyed the people’s wish for a popular government. There has been no negative response from the Centre,” she said. She added that issues like the Gwaltabi incident, in which Manipur’s name was removed from a government bus, were also raised.
Atleast 22 BJP MLAs, including Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, attended Sunday’s meeting. Eight BJP MLAs were absent, reportedly due to health issues or prior engagements, though some had submitted written messages of support.
