'Running Party Like a Family Show': As MLAs Resign, is BJP in Crisis in Manipur?
Four BJP MLAs in the state have resigned from various administrative posts over the last two weeks.
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Trouble seems to be brewing for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Manipur as a fourth MLA in the state resigned from an administrative post on Monday, 24 April.
Kh Raghumani Singh, a retired IAS officer, tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh as the chairman of the Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency (MANIREDA) on 24 April.
“For personal reasons and in public interest, it is felt that my continuance as Chairman of the MANIREDA is not called for, at this juncture. Therefore, I tender my resignation from the said post and the same may kindly be accepted,” Singh, who is the MLA from Uripok Assembly constituency, wrote in his resignation letter.
In this explainer, we take a closer look at – what has led to the legislators resign, what has the CM said about these resignations – and more.
Who Else Has Resigned?
Raghumani Singh is the fourth MLA to quit within a span of a month.
The spate of resignations began on 13 April when former IPS officer and Heirok MLA Thokchom Radheshyam Singh quit as the CM’s advisor, saying he had “not been given any responsibility”.
His resignation was followed by the resignation of two more legislators — Langthabal MLA Karam Shyam (on 17 April) and Wangjing Tentha MLA Paonam Brojen Singh ( on 20 April) — from their posts as heads of the Manipur Tourism Corporation and the Manipur Development Society, respectively.
In his resignation letter, Karam Shyam said he is quitting ‘as he has not been assigned any responsibility as a chairman’ since he assumed chairmanship of the Manipur Tourism Corporation in November 2022.
He also told the media that though he had submitted several plans to the chief minister for various developmental works of the tourism corporation, he did not receive a single positive reply.
Brojen Singh stepped down from his post on “personal grounds”.
What are the MLAs Alleging Against the CM?
On 21 April, the state unit of the BJP convened a meeting of party legislators and ministers in Imphal. The notice for the meeting was issued by the party's general secretary L Deben Singh on 19 April.
The same day, in a Facebook post, BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh, who is the chief minister’s son-in-law, warned of “disciplinary action against member of… political party/MLA” for “acting or carrying on propaganda against any programme or decision of the government/party”, or taking a party or government dispute to “any other agency including the print and electronic media”.
A BJP MLA in Imphal, on the condition of anonmity, told The Quint that there is a demand for a change of guard owing to a multitude of factors. He alleged that the chief minister is "running the party like a family show, and no MLA or ministers have a say in it".
Why Else Are the MLAs Dissatisfied?
Last week, The Hindu reported that office-bearers of the BJP in New Delhi confirmed to the newspaper that at least 10-12 BJP MLAs from Manipur had camped in the capital with grievances against Biren Singh.
Quoting sources, the newspaper said that one of the main causes of their grievance has been the suspension of SoO (Suspension of Operation) agreement of 2008 by the Biren Singh government in March 2023. The agreement was inked in 2008 as a ceasefire agreement between the Centre and various Kuki militant groups operating in the states of Manipur and Nagaland.
Under the pact, the Kuki militant groups agreed to cease violent activities. In return, the Centre agreed to stop its operations against the Kuki groups. In March, however, Manipur withdrew from the SoO agreement.
"As a result of the SoO withdrawal, there have been crackdowns that are having an impact on everyday life in Kuki areas. The Kuki MLAs are feeling the heat as poppy cultivation was a source of subsistence for locals and have come together to build pressure against the CM," surmised the BJP legislator.
What has the CM Said?
Following the high-level party meeting last week, the chief minister, however, denied reports of a rift within the BJP.
"There is no crisis. One minister has taken a leave of absence from me, he went to Indore. Three of them are having medical treatment in Delhi. That's all. Everyone attended the (party) meeting," CM Biren Singh had told reporters.
Manipur BJP state president A Sharda Devi told reporters that she had not received “any complaints” from the MLAs. She denied rumors of a political conspiracy among the BJP MLAs.
Last year, the BJP won 32 seats of the 60 seats in the Manipur Assembly, and retained power for a second consecutive term.
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