New Delhi: On late Sunday evening, Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh was forced to resign amid escalating political turmoil and long-standing ethnic strife. The resignation comes almost two years after violent clashes erupted in May 2023, involving the Kukis and the Meiteis in the Northeast state.
Singh, a former footballer-turned-politician, had long been seen as the political custodian of the Meitei vote. Despite multiple warnings from security agencies and dissent within the BJP, especially from Kuki MLAs, he remained in power, largely due to local support and the backing of the central government.
However, persistent internal rebellion, including an open letter by 19 MLAs to their party’s central leadership demanding his removal, finally led to the ouster on the eve of a fresh Assembly session.
The resignation spotlights the complex demographics of Manipur, where the Meitei constitute about 50-53 percent of a roughly 35-36 lakh population, and tribals form nearly 40 percent. Critics argue that the state, with its strategic location bordering Myanmar, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Assam, has been run as a proxy by New Delhi, undermining local governance.
As Manipur’s fate hangs in the balance—potentially facing the President’s rule or a new chief minister—the political crisis raises fears of further fragmentation and a domino effect in the Northeast.
With the ruling BJP unable to find a solution to the violence, ThePrint Editor-in-Chief Shekhar Gupta and Deputy Editor Moushumi Das Gupta discuss what led to Singh’s fall, the BJP’s future in the state, and the threats Manipur still faces from within and neighbouring Myanmar. Watch Episode 1604 of #CutTheClutter.