BJP Affirms Support for High Command's Decision on New Manipur Chief Minister
Click to start listening
Synopsis
On February 10, BJP leader and MAHUD Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh confirmed that state leaders will comply with the party high command's decision regarding the new Chief Minister of Manipur, following the resignation of N.Biren Singh. The focus will shift towards restoring peace among the communities.
Key Takeaways
- BJP leaders are committed to following the high command's decisions.
- Khemchand emphasizes the need for reconciliation between communities.
- Security has been tightened in sensitive areas of Imphal.
- Meetings are planned to discuss leadership transitions.
- The party seeks a leader acceptable to diverse communities.
Imphal, Feb 10 (NationPress) Senior BJP leader and MAHUD Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, one of the potential candidates for the Chief Minister position, stated on Monday that local leaders would respect any decision made by the party's high command regarding the leadership situation in the state.
Khemchand, who oversees the Municipal Administrations, Housing, and Urban Development (MAHUD) Departments, made these remarks immediately following a private meeting with BJP’s North-East in-charge Sambit Patra and several party MLAs and leaders at a hotel in Imphal. The discussions were aimed at selecting a successor to Chief Minister N.Biren Singh.
In a surprising turn of events, Biren Singh resigned on Sunday, prompting Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to ask him to remain as the caretaker Chief Minister until a new arrangement is established.
Khemchand assured the media that the decision made by the high command, along with the MLAs and BJP leaders, would be accepted. He emphasized, “The leadership matter will be settled shortly, and our primary goal will be to restore lasting peace and normalcy.”
The senior minister indicated that efforts for reconciliation between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities would commence soon. Khemchand has previously criticized the Biren Singh administration for its insufficient handling of ethnic conflicts in Manipur.
A senior party member revealed that since Sunday evening, Patra, also a Lok Sabha member from Puri parliamentary constituency (Odisha), has met separately with Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh, and BJP MLA Th Radheshyam Singh, in addition to Minister Khemchand.
The leader noted that additional meetings would take place in Imphal as well as in Delhi or Guwahati in the upcoming days to further discuss the leadership transition.
“The party aims to identify a leader who will be acceptable to both the tribal communities—Kuki-Zo-Hmar and Naga—and the predominantly non-tribal Meitei community,” he told IANS, opting to remain anonymous.
Last week, central BJP leaders summoned Chief Minister Biren Singh, along with three ministers, several leaders, and MLAs to Delhi to discuss the political and ethnic climate in Manipur.
The BJP leader mentioned that central officials also held separate discussions with Satyabrata Singh and Khemchand Singh on similar political matters.
Both Satyabrata Singh and Khemchand Singh belong to the Meitei community in Manipur. According to the source, state Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh and MAHUD Minister Khemchand Singh are frontrunners for the chief ministerial role.
Meanwhile, to ensure peace and prevent unrest, security measures have been heightened in Imphal and surrounding areas, with a significant deployment of Manipur police and central forces in sensitive locations, including Sanjenthong, Singjamei, Moirangkhom, Keisampat, and Kangla Gate.
