Already two months of PR and Advisor/s yet to be appointed
Hopes of Govt reinstallation fading
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 21 2025: Hopes of reinstallation of an elected Government within months of imposition of the President's Rule in the State have been fading slowly.

Notably, the BJP-led elected Government was abolished and the State Assembly was brought under suspended animation following the resignation of Chief Minister N Biren on February 9, 2025 .

Subsequently, President's Rule was imposed in the State on February 13, 2025 .

Winning as many as 32 seats out of the total 60 seats in the 2022 State Assembly election, BJP formed a new Government in the State for the second consecutive term with N Biren as the Chief Minister.

Already two months of PR and Advisor/s yet to be appointed

It was N Biren's second consecutive term as the Chief Minister of the State.

The massive attack launched by Kukis against Meiteis in the name of a tribal solidarity rally at Churachandpur on May 3, 2023 which quickly spread to other parts of the State jolted the Biren Government.

As the violence dragged on for a long time, the second term of the BJP Government which was sworn in on March 21, 2022 came to end on the day Chief Minister N Biren tendered his resignation.

Although President's Rule was imposed on February 13, the State Assembly is being kept under suspended animation which means the State Assembly is still alive and the MLAs still hold their offices.

It implies that the MLAs can still form a new Government.

However, it remains a big question whether the MLAs can form a new Government anytime soon.

Political parties believed that the PR Government will contain the violence and re-establish law and order in the State within a couple of months and a new Government would be formed.

Under the President's Rule, the Governor and the Chief Secretary have been ruling Manipur.

Even though the violence has subsided remarkably, all the efforts of the PR Government to ensure free movement of people, goods and services on National Highways have borne little fruits.

On the contrary, it appears that it will take a long time for the Government to ensure free movement on National Highways, with many elements posing serious threats and obstacles on the path to restoring peace and normalcy in the State.

There is a strong suspicion that Kuki armed groups under SoO agreement are directly or indirectly involved in sabotaging all peace efforts, sources said.

On the other hand, no Advisor to the Governor has been appointed yet.

If the Governor must rule the State for a long time, at least two Advisors must be appointed.

Yet, no Advisor to the Governor has been appointed till date even after two months of imposing President's Rule in the State.

The fact that only the Governor and the Chief Secretary have been ruling the State without any Advisor may indicate that an elected Government may be installed soon.

At the same time, appointment of Advisors to Governor or non-appointment may not have any relation with prolonging or shortening the President's Rule for the Centre has been giving advice and suggestions to the Governor from time to time, said the sources.

Under the current situation which is not exactly normal, it is highly questionable whether a new (elected) Government can be formed, whether Kuki MLAs will be able to attend Assembly session at the floor test in case a new Government is formed somehow.

At the same time, no new leader has been projected from amongst the 32 BJP MLAs although the MLAs are reportedly disposed to accept whoever is chosen by the BJP high command as their new leader.

There is a need for the BJP MLAs to elect a new leader and at least 11 MLAs must come out and stand firmly for the new leader.

But this is not visible at the moment.

The Centre too has not made any move to pick a new leader.

The State may remain under such an atmosphere of political uncertainty till the time of the next State Assembly election, according to the sources.

The current term of the President's Rule will expire on August 12.If the President's Rule should be extended, a new resolution must be adopted at the Parliament.

A concrete picture may emerge only then, said the sources.