Ready to form popular Govt, 10 MLAs tell Governor
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 28 2025: Ten MLAs including eight from the BJP met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Wednesday afternoon and conveyed the readiness of 44 MLAs of BJP and allies to form a popular government in the interest of the people.

The development comes amidst the ongoing public outrage against the Governor and top state administrators over the May 20 Gwaltabi incident of erasing 'Manipur' from the state government owned bus carrying journalists to Ukhrul to cover the just- concluded 5th Shirui Lily festival.

The meeting followed a similar call by former chief minister N Biren Singh, who met the Governor late Tuesday evening - and had reportedly discussed the ongoing crisis and public sentiments over the Gwaltabi incident.

Ready to form popular Govt, 10 MLAs tell Governor

The people, led by the Coordination Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), have been demanding an apology from the Governor over the Gwaltabi incident and resignation of the chief secretary, DGP and security advisor.

Notably, N Biren stepped down from the chief minister post on February 9, 2025 and the state came under President's Rule from February 13 this year.

Ten MLA namely Thokchom Radheshyam Singh (Heirok), Dr Yumnam Radheshyam (Hiyanglam), Lourembam Rameshwor Meetei (Keirao), Thangjam Arunkumar (Wangkhei), Kh Raghumani Singh (Uripok), Kongkham Robindro Singh (Mayang Imphal), Paonam Brojen Singh (Wangjing-Tentha), Sheikh Noorul Hassan (Kshetrigao), Janghemlung Panmei (Tamenglong) and Sapam Nishikant Singh (Keishamthong) met the Governor around 11 am.

MLA Radheshyam told media persons waiting outside the Raj Bhavan that the MLAs had expressed their dissatisfaction and called for necessary action over the Gwaltabi incident.

"In line with the wishes of the people to have a popular government, we (10 MLAs) met Governor AK Bhalla and conveyed to him the readiness of 44 MLAs of BJP and allied parties to form a popular government.

We have conveyed the matter of formation of a popular government in written and also discussed pressing state issues," he said.

According to Radheshyam, the Governor assured the MLAs of taking up necessary action in the best interest of the people, while also noting the concerns of the MLAs with seriousness.

To a query on whether the MLAs formally staked claim to form the government, he reasoned that decision of government formation has to be taken by the central leadership but conveying the readiness of 44 MLAs to form government is similar to staking claim.

"There is no one who opposes formation of a new government and even the five MLAs of Congress party would not skirt their responsibility," he opined, adding that Speaker Th Satyabrata had individually and jointly met all the 44 MLAs to pave the way for formation of a new government.

While acknowledging that people of Manipur have been suffering for the past couple of years, MLA Radheshyam said: "We lost two years due to COVID in the first term and another two years have already been lost in the present term due to the ongoing conflict.

This was also discussed during the meeting with the Governor".

To another query related to the time for government fortnation, police officer-turned politician conceded the 10 MLAs cannot give exact time, stating: "this is a matter outside our capability but whatever we have has been conveyed to the Governor" .

"The Governor noted what we had to say and will initiate actions in the best interests of the people," he added.

Mention may be made that BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba Leishemba, earlier this month expressed hope that a popular government would be formed in the state within the next two months.

He asked all political leaders to unite in dealing with the challenges the state has been facing.

"The President's rule alone cannot resolve the prevailing issues.

A popular government can function closely in tandem with the people and find a solution to the present ethnic crisis," he had told reporters.

The BJP's northeast In-charge Sambit Patra earlier this month visited Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts and met Kuki BJP MLAs Vungzagin Valte and Nemcha Kipgen.

Nemcha Kipgen was the only woman minister in the then Biren Singh government.

Manipur has been under President's Rule since February after N Biren resigned as the chief minister, amid criticisms about his government's handling of the ethnic clashes between Meeteis and Kuki-Zos, which broke out in May 2023.The 60-member assembly at present has 59 MLAs, with one seat vacant due to the death of a legislator.

In the BJP-led coalition, there are 32 Meetei MLAs, three Manipuri Muslim MLAs and nine Naga legislators, totalling 44 .

The Congress has five MLAs -- all Meeteis.

The remaining 10 MLAs are Kukis -- seven of them won the last election on a BJP ticket, two belong to the Kuki Peoples' Alliance, and one is an Independent.

The development comes amid massive protests in the Imphal Valley over the hiding of the state's name written on the windshield of a government bus by security forces.

Civil society organisations have been demanding an apology from the Governor over the incident that happened in Gwaltabi on May 20, and the resignation of the chief secretary, DGP, and security advisor.

Since the beginning of the ethnic strife, in which over 250 people have been killed, Meetei groups maintain that the territorial integrity of the state is non-negotiable in any peace process, while the Ku-ki-Zo outfits assert that the only solution to resolve the crisis is creating a separate administration for the hill districts where they live.

The Gwaltabi incident has added to the tensions, which were waning in recent months because of a slew of measures being taken by the Centre to bring back peace to the state.

(With inputs from agencies) .