'Possibility of a popular Govt still remote'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 03 2025: Even though President's Rule imposed in the State is nearing four months, and the ruling MLAs, particularly those of BJP have been working hard to install a popular Government, chances of a popular Government coming any time soon remain quite slim.

President's Rule was imposed on February 13 .

Although BJP MLAs and their allies have been working hard to form a popular Government, many are sceptical of seeing a popular Government in the State in the coming days.

Considering the current situation of Manipur where the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs would not be able to join the formation of a popular Government, BJP Central leaders are not very keen to install a popular Government in the State, sources said.

'Possibility of a popular Govt still remote'

Nonetheless, some of the Kuki-Zo MLAs are agreeable to the formation of a popular Government.

As such, the Kuki-Zo MLAs have been holding closed door meetings and talking with each other on the formation of a popular Government.

But these meetings and talks are unable to make any substantial progress, according to the sources.

One major hurdle to all efforts to form a popular Government is the violent crisis which erupted on May 3, 2023 and the resultant separation of communities and the inability to move freely in each other's areas.

Moreover, it remains a big question how the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs would be incorporated into the new popular Government if and when it comes or whether they should be left out in the cold.

On the other hand, the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs, confident that it would be impossible to form a popular Government without at least some of them, have been acting quite indifferent to all the efforts of their valley colleagues to form a popular Government, the sources said.

The sources said that the chances of a popular Government may grow considerably if at least three or four Kuki-Zo MLAs are directly involved in the process of Government formation.

However, the current situation is such that all of the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs are not in a position to come to Imphal or the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Even if they are not in a position to come to Imphal at the moment, the Kuki-Zo MLAs have taken a position to first consult with Kuki-Zo CSOs before joining the process of Government formation, said the sources.

Theoretically, there is the possibility of forming a popular Government without the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs but they must be first disqualified.

But before going ahead with this option, the same option must be first studied minutely by referring to the Constitution of India, said the sources.

With the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs openly demanding a Separate Administration outside the Government of Manipur, forming a popular Government without them would amount to conceding their demand in some sense, according to the sources.

Considering all these facts and propositions, the possibility of a popular Government remains quite slim, said the sources.

Although the term of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement has not been officially extended, the MHA officials have been telling the SoO groups that the 'status quo' remains.

As such, army and other Central forces have been confining at least 60 to 70 per cent of the SoO cadres in their respective designated camps.

The crisis may escalate if all the SoO cadres move out of their designated camps.

Considering this possibility, the MHA officials have been telling SoO groups that 'status quo' remains and thus confining majority of the SoO cadres in their respective designated camps, the sources said.