Manipur: NPP likely to consider rejoining BJP government, calls for CM's replacement

The National People's Party (NPP), which recently withdrew its support from the BJP-led government in Manipur, has hinted at reconsidering its decision if Chief Minister N Biren Singh is replaced. The NPP accused the CM of failing to restore normalcy in the violence-hit state.

NPP National Vice-President Yumnam Joykumar Singh confirmed the party's stance, saying, “CM Biren Singh has totally failed to bring normalcy to Manipur. This was the main reason for our national president, Conrad Sangma, to withdraw support. If he is replaced, the NPP may reconsider its position.”

The withdrawal of support, announced on Sunday, does not threaten the stability of the BJP-led government. With 32 MLAs in the 60-member House, the BJP holds an absolute majority, supplemented by the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and JD(U).

Despite the withdrawal, three of the NPP’s seven MLAs attended a meeting chaired by the CM on November 18, which Joykumar Singh attributed to “confusion.” He clarified, “The meeting was for NDA legislators. While we have withdrawn support to the Biren Singh government, we remain NDA partners. However, our MLAs have been cautioned against attending such meetings without prior approval.”

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He denied media reports suggesting that notices were sent to NPP MLAs absent from the meeting, saying such actions would fall outside the CM's jurisdiction.

On the Centre’s decision to deploy an additional 50 companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) in Manipur, Joykumar Singh, a former DGP, remarked that the state is already oversaturated with security forces. He criticized their deployment as ineffective, suggesting the additional personnel are primarily being used to guard the residences of ministers and MLAs amid recent attacks.

The situation in Manipur has worsened following the disappearance of six people—three Meitei women and three children—from a camp for displaced persons in Jiribam after a gunfight between armed men and security forces. The conflict, rooted in ethnic tensions between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and the hill-based Kuki-Zo groups, has claimed over 220 lives and displaced thousands since May 2023.

The NPP’s potential reconsideration of its withdrawal could mark a turning point in addressing the political crisis in Manipur. However, the party insists on a leadership change as a precondition, emphasizing the urgent need for measures to restore peace and stability in the state.