Toiling to reinstate Govt sans consensus
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: May 17, 2025 -

AS commented earlier in this column the state's masses wouldn't mind if the President's Rule is extended as long as there is no violence, even though section of the elected people's representatives seem to be longing for formation of a popular government for reasons best known to them, while being oblivious of the fact that lack of unity among them had led to the temporary dismissal of the government.

To the commoners the semblance of peace returning to the state after the centre imposed the President's Rule would be the obvious choice than having a government that could not maintain law and order.

Without an iota of doubt, the then N Biren government made several attempts to normalise the situation after the Kuki-Meetei conflict broke out in May 2023 but the sharp polarisation of the society on ethnic lines rendered all efforts to restore peace meaningless.

From deployment of additional companies of the central armed police force to consistently pleading the central government to broker peace between the warring communities, the erstwhile government explored all means to ensure peaceful coexistence, regardless of the Kuki civil organisations and political figures accusing former chief minister N Biren of orchestrating the violence by extending covert support to Meetei armed groups.

However, with the efforts made, amid some senior BJP legislators plotting to unseat Biren from the hot seat, neither reaping fruit nor the party MLAs able to project a consensus chief ministerial candidate the centre was left with no option other than keeping the assembly under suspended animation and bringing in the President's Rule after the chief minister decided to relinquish the post to pave the way for finding his replacement. For over two months, there was no notable politicking for reinstating the BJP government as the multipronged race for the chief minister's chair created huge chasm within the rank and file of the saffron party in the state.

As such, the claim by MLA Kh Ibomcha of Lamlai assembly, that the meeting of eight BJP MLAs on Wednesday evening had no relevance with government formation but was convened for deliberation on extending support to the Centre's efforts to create a conducive atmosphere in the state is hard to digest.

That the BJ P legislators have started to feel insecure over the prospect of prolonging the PR rule in the state could also be comprehended from MLA Ibomcha's remark that choosing a leader to stake claim for forming a new government and naming the leader, selecting the chief ministerial candidate to be precise, is the prerogative of the party's central leaderships, signifying that the state BJP MLAs are eager to be part of the government so as to brighten their chance for re-election in the next assembly polls.

The recent visit by BJP national spokesman and Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, who held series of meetings with BJP MLAs, including Kuki-Zo legislators, and party functionaries also deepens the suspicion that the party's central leaders are well aware about the political objective of the MLAs.

Significantly, Sambit's presence in the state was preceded by 21 BJP MLAs and NDA alliance partners submitting a joint representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union HomeMinister Amit Shah, urging for reinstatement of the popular government in the state in place of the current President's Rule.