Imphal: Amidst growing political uncertainty in Manipur, BJP leaders have reiterated their commitment to abide by any decision taken by the party’s high command regarding the state’s leadership.
The statement came from Minister Y Khemchand shortly after BJP North East in-charge Sambit Patra held a series of closed-door meetings with key party legislators in Imphal to determine the next course of action.
According to party insiders, Patra separately met with Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata, Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh, BJP MLA Th Radheshyam, and Municipal Administration and Housing Development Minister Khemchand. The discussions took place at a private hotel and are seen as crucial in resolving the ongoing leadership turmoil within the party.
The political crisis escalated further after N. Biren Singh tendered his resignation as Chief Minister to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday. The governor accepted the resignation, along with that of his council of ministers, and requested Singh to continue in office until alternative arrangements were made.
Speaking to reporters, Khemchand assured that BJP leaders would fully comply with the party’s final decision. “Whatever decision the high command takes, we will accept. The problem is over. The focus now is on how to restore peace,” he stated. On the question of reconciliation between communities in the state, he expressed optimism, saying, “I believe it will begin soon. In our party system, we follow the high command’s decisions without question.”
Khemchand has been vocal in criticizing the Biren Singh government’s handling of the ongoing crisis, particularly the failure to restore peace and normalcy. He previously remarked that in Manipur’s 2,000-year-old written history, never before had valley residents been unable to step into the hills, a reflection of the deepening communal divide.
Sources indicate that BJP legislators may convene additional meetings in the next 48 hours, either in Imphal or at an undisclosed location, to further discuss the state’s political situation. Meanwhile, authorities have heightened security measures across Imphal, particularly in sensitive areas such as Sanjenthong, Singjamei, Moirangkhom, Keisampat, and Kangla Gate, to prevent any law-and-order disturbances as political developments unfold.