Three days & counting: Manipur awaits new CM as BJP, Congress spar over leadership crisis
Congress Chief K Meghachandra criticised the Centre’s delay in appointing a new Chief Minister
BJP legislators in Manipur gather at Hotel Imphal to discuss about the leadership limbo in the state with BJP state in-charge Sambit Patra (AT Photo)
Imphal, Feb. 12: The political drama in Manipur continued into its third day on Wednesday, with speculation surrounding the appointment of a new Chief Minister intensifying.
As BJP leaders gathered at Hotel Imphal to meet state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in-charge Sambit Patra, tensions escalated between party leaders and the opposition over the delay in resolving the stalemate.
BJP legislator Karam Shyam strongly dismissed claims of a constitutional crisis in the state. "I think there is no constitutional crisis in Manipur," Shyam told The Assam Tribune.
“I don't know about the President's Rule, but I believe the leadership crisis will be resolved by the Centre with the help of legislators," he said.
Shyam, however, remained non-committal when asked about the expiry of the six-month interval between two consecutive sessions of the state assembly. "Let's see what happens," he added cryptically.
Earlier in the day, Patra had a closed-door meeting with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla. The meeting, which lasted nearly an hour, ended without any public statements from Patra, who quickly left the Raj Bhawan without addressing the waiting media.
In sharp contrast, Manipur Congress Chief K Meghachandra criticised the Centre’s delay in appointing a new Chief Minister, calling it a clear disregard for the people's mandate.
“The Centre is deliberately delaying the process, pushing the state into a constitutional crisis," Meghachandra alleged.
He also voiced concerns over the BJP’s intentions, accusing the party of seeking to impose President’s Rule in Manipur.
“The real intentions of the BJP appear to be to impose President’s Rule,” Meghachandra claimed, arguing that the Centre should have appointed a new Chief Minister immediately after N Biren Singh resigned three days ago.
“The state should be governed by a popular government, not directly by the Central government,” he added.
The standoff began after N Biren Singh’s resignation as Chief Minister on February 9, leaving Manipur in a leadership limbo.
While BJP leaders have continued discussions, the failure to name a successor has raised questions about the Centre's strategy in handling the situation.