Kamal Ghorui
Manipur’s NDA lawmakers have been summoned to New Delhi, triggering fresh speculation that an elected govt could be restored in the violence-scarred state as President’s rule nears its first anniversary.More than 35 NDA MLAs and party functionaries left Imphal on Sunday after being asked by BJP’s central brass to reach the capital by Monday afternoon. Party sources said the meeting is expected Monday or Tuesday.Manipur has been under President’s rule since Feb 13 last year after chief minister N Biren Singh resigned on Feb 9 amid ethnic strife that erupted in May 2023.The unrest has killed more than 260 people, displaced over 60,000 and devastated hundreds of villages, deepening the divide between the Meitei-majority Imphal valley and the Kuki-Zo tribal hill districts.Former CM Biren Singh, assembly speaker T Satyabrata, BJP’s Manipur president A Sharda Devi, NPP state chief Lorho S Pfoze and NPF president Awangbow Newmai were among those travelling to Delhi.“All NDA MLAs have been called,” the former Manipur chief minister told reporters at Imphal airport. “Since President’s rule is set to complete one year, we are hopeful a positive outcome on govt formation will emerge.”With President’s rule completing one year next week, the latest summons has sharpened expectations of a political reset in a the state still struggling to heal from ethnic strife.
