CM N Biren steps down amid high octane drama
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 09 2025: Amid high drama marked by a looming no confidence motion and a determined group of BJP MLAs clamouring for a change in leadership, Nongthombam Biren has stepped down from the post of Chief Minister.

N Biren went to Delhi in a chartered flight last night and he came back this afternoon after holding a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

N Biren landed at Imphal airport in another chartered flight at around 4.30 pm together with BJP North East in-charge and National spokesman Sambit Patra.

CM N Biren steps down amid high octane drama

After landing at Imphal, N Biren held a brief talk with his Ministers and MLAs namely; Thongam Biswajit, Govindas Konthoujam, Awangbow Newmai, Dr Sapam Ranjan, L Susindro, H Dingo, Khashim Vashum, Th Basantakumar, Karam Shyam, Sapam Kunjakeswar, Thongam Shanti, Mayanglambam Rameshwar, Dr Usham Deben and Sanasam Premchandra at the CM bungalow.

Together with the Ministers and MLAs who support him, Chief Minister N Biren went to the Raj Bhavan at around 5.20 pm and tendered his resignation letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by the Raj Bhavan informed that the Governor has accepted the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren along with his Council of Ministers.

Although N Biren has resigned, the Governor asked him to continue in office till alternative arrangements are made.

Apart from the Ministers and MLAs, the Chief Minister was accompanied by Sambit Patra and BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda when he went to the Raj Bhavan and tendered his resignation.

Moreover, MLA Thongam Shanti of Moirang AC and Mayanglambam Rameshwar of Kakching AC who are facing disqualification cases under the Constitution's 10th Schedule too accompanied N Biren to the Raj Bhavan.

Saying that he is grateful to the Central Government for timely actions, interventions, developmental works and implementation of various projects and safe- guarding the interests of every single Manipuri, N Biren's resignation letter requested the Central Government to maintain the territorial integrity of Manipur which has a rich and diverse civilizational history spanning over thousands of years.

He also appealed to the Central Government to crack down on border infiltration and to formulate a policy for the deportation of illegal immigrants.

He urged the Government of India to continue the fight against drugs and narco-terrorism.

He requested the Centre to continue with the stringent and foolproof revised mechanism of FMR with biometric data collection.

Time bound and faster border fencing which is underway was another request put forward by N Biren to the Government of India through the Governor.

The Chief Minister's resignation comes after days of high octane drama with a group of BJP MLAs intent on moving a no-confidence motion against the party's leadership.

The purported no-confidence motion move gains significance in the face of the Assembly session scheduled to be held from February 10 .

Many read the resignation move as one last ditch effort to save the face of the BJP led Government from losing a no trust motion moved by its own members on the floor of the Assembly, after efforts to pacify the disgruntled dissidents failed to cut ice.