The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislators on Sunday left for New Delhi for a meeting on Monday, days before the six-month extension of the president’s rule in the ethnic violence-hit northeastern state ends. The president’s rule was imposed on February 13 last year as sporadic violence continued in the state.
“We earlier had a meeting of the BJP legislators. This time, all the legislators of NDA have been called…so it is likely about the new government formation,” BJP lawmaker and former chief minister N Biren Singh told the media at the Imphal airport before his departure to Delhi.
BJP’s Manipur chief A Sharda Devi hoped the Monday meeting would lead to the formation of a new popular government.
In the 60-member Manipur Assembly, the BJP has 32 seats, the National People’s Party seven, Janata Dal (United) six, Naga People’s Front five, Kuki People’s Alliance two, and the Congress five. There are also three independent lawmakers. Among the 32 BJP lawmakers, seven Kuki-Zo legislators have been demanding a separate administration.
On December 14, BJP legislators, including four Kuki-Zo, met BJP national general secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh and northeast coordinator Sambit Patra in Delhi and resolved to restore peace and progress in Manipur.