Manipur CM N Biren Singh resigns amid leadership dissent and political unrest

Mangalore Today News Network

Guwahati, Feb 9, 2025: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned today in a bid to address growing dissent within the BJP’s state unit and avert a political crisis. His resignation comes amid ongoing ethnic violence in the state and the looming possibility of a no-confidence motion by the Congress during the assembly session scheduled to begin tomorrow.

The Chief Minister submitted his resignation to the Governor this evening following consultations with the BJP’s central leadership. Despite the BJP holding a majority, the withdrawal of support by Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party and dissent among some BJP MLAs had raised concerns about a potential rebellion during a floor test.

Mr. Singh traveled to Delhi earlier today to meet BJP national president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. After these discussions, he decided to step down to prevent dissident MLAs from disregarding the party whip during a floor test.

Party insiders revealed that 12 BJP MLAs, citing the ethnic violence that began in May 2023, have been demanding a leadership change, with six additional MLAs reportedly undecided. Sources also indicated differences between the Chief Minister and the Speaker, further straining the political atmosphere.

The demand for Mr. Singh’s resignation intensified following allegations by a member of the Kuki community, who approached the Supreme Court claiming the Chief Minister had incited the violence. These allegations were supported by leaked audio tapes, which a private forensic lab, Truth Labs, verified to be a 93% match with Mr. Singh’s voice. The Supreme Court has sought further analysis from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory regarding these tapes.

The BJP, keen to avoid any setbacks after its recent electoral successes in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi, acted swiftly to mitigate the crisis. Sources suggested the party aimed to preserve its positive political momentum by avoiding internal discord that could overshadow its achievements.

Mr. Singh’s resignation paves the way for a leadership change in Manipur as the BJP prepares to tackle the challenges of both internal dissension and external political threats.