Manipur NDA MLAs in Delhi for Government Formation Talks
NDA MLAs from Manipur arrive in Delhi for BJP talks on forming a popular government before President's rule expires.
Nearly 20 NDA MLAs from Manipur have arrived in Delhi for consultations with BJP central leadership on forming a popular government, just days before the second spell of President’s rule in the state is set to expire. Additional MLAs are expected to join later, with discussions aimed at assessing the political climate and the feasibility of restoring an elected government.
The deliberations follow the imposition of President’s rule first in February 2025 and its subsequent extension in August 2025, after prolonged ethnic unrest between Meitei and Kuki communities left the BJP-led government under former Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The state assembly, with a tenure till 2027, has remained under suspended animation since February 2025.
Prominent leaders present in Delhi include former CM N Biren Singh, Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh, former minister Y Khemchand Singh, and BJP state president A Sharda Devi. The talks will involve exploring possibilities for a coalition government involving NDA allies such as the National People’s Party (NPP), Naga People’s Front (NPF), and select Independent MLAs.
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However, progress has been complicated by hesitancy among BJP’s Kuki MLAs, who continue to demand a Union Territory with a legislature before committing to any future government. The party has previously held multiple rounds of consultations with Meitei and Kuki representatives, as well as allies, to gauge their willingness to participate in a BJP-led administration.
Currently, the BJP holds 37 seats in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, including five defections from JD(U). Other parties include six NPP, five NPF, five Congress, two Kuki People’s Alliance, one JD(U), and three Independents. One seat remains vacant due to a recent MLA death. If a new government is not formed, Parliament will need to pass a statutory resolution during the ongoing Budget Session to extend central rule.
The state has been under strict administrative oversight since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023, triggered by disputes over Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community. The unrest has claimed at least 260 lives, and Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has overseen measures to restore order, including the surrender of looted arms. The political outcome of these talks will be closely watched as a key test for stability in Manipur.
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