Imphal: Seven MLAs of the National People’s Party (NPP) have withdrawn support to the N. Biren Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Manipur citing the volatile situation in the state and the failure of the government machinery to resolve the crisis.
On Sunday, Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP national president Conrad Sangma wrote a letter to BJP national president J.P. Nadda announcing withdrawal of support.
In his letter, Sangma stated: “The National People’s Party would like to convey its deep concern over the prevailing law and order situation in the state of Manipur. In the last few days, we have seen the situation further deteriorate where many more innocent lives have been lost and people in the state are going through immense suffering.”
“We strongly feel that the Manipur state government under the leadership of Shri Biren Singh has completely failed to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy. Keeping the current situation in mind, the National People’s Party has decided to withdraw its support to the Biren Singh led government in the state of Manipur, with immediate effect,” he added.
That said, the BJP-led government in the state remains secure with a comfortable majority of 37 MLAs in the 60-member assembly. The BJP in Manipur continues to enjoy the support of regional allies including the Naga People’s Front (NPF) with five MLAs, five JD(U) legislators who merged with the BJP in September 2022 and three Independents.
The seven NPP MLAs earlier part of the coalition are Khetrigao MLA Sheikh Noorul Hassan, Wangoi MLA Khuraijam Loken Singh, Oinam MLA Irengbam Nalini Devi, Moirang MLA Thongam Shanti Singh, Kakching MLA Mayanglambam Rameshwar Singh, Tadubi MLA N. Kayisii and Tamenglong MLA Janghemlung Panmei.
Soon after Sangma made the announcement, the NPP unit in Manipur addressed a press meet in Imphal, underlining their concerns on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. “How long shall we suffer like this? We cannot tolerate any more, NPP will go as per the wishes of the people in Manipur,” said the party’s national vice president Y. Joykumar, while welcoming steps taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to get the situation under control, including sending CRPF DG Anish Dayal Singh to Manipur.
Joykumar, who once served as DGP of Manipur before entering politics, said the CRPF chief’s tenure in Manipur would be of value.
Anish Dayal Singh reached Imphal Sunday afternoon on his two-day visit to the state. The 1988-batch IPS officer, who also holds additional charge as acting head of the National Security Guard (NSG), visited Manipur Sunday in response to the escalating violence and protests in the valley district, following recovery of bodies near Jiribam.
Some of the bodies are believed to be of the women and children from a family of six who were taken away by suspected armed men from a relief camp in Jiribam on 11 November.
Later in the day, the CRPF DG held a high-level meeting with senior state government officials and security personnel to assess the situation and discuss strategies to enhance security measures in affected areas, and step up efforts to calm tempers in the region.
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