Why Did Sambit Patra Meet Kuki MLA and Tribal Groups in Manipur?

Imphal, May 6 (NationPress) The BJP's North East In-charge Sambit Patra convened a meeting on Tuesday with Kuki BJP MLA Nemcha Kipgen, noted as the sole female Minister in the prior administration led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in Manipur, according to party sources.

As per a BJP official wishing to remain unnamed, apart from Kipgen, Patra, who serves as a Member of Parliament from Puri Lok Sabha constituency (Odisha), engaged with leaders from the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and other Kuki civil society organizations within Kangpokpi district, a region primarily inhabited by Kuki-Zo-Hmar tribals.

The CoTU and the Kuki Civil Society Groups presented a memorandum to the BJP leader.

Upon his arrival in Imphal on Monday, Patra first visited Churachandpur to meet local BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte, who represents the Kuki community.

After returning to Imphal, he conducted private discussions with former CM Biren Singh, Manipur Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, and other prominent leaders and MLAs.

Details regarding the discussions from Patra's series of meetings since Monday have not been disclosed by either Patra or the BJP.

Since February 13, Manipur has been under President's Rule, which came just four days following N. Biren Singh's resignation from the Chief Minister's position.

The 60-member Manipur Assembly is currently under suspended animation following the imposition of President's Rule, with its tenure extending until 2027.

This visit by the BJP's North East In-charge occurs shortly after 21 MLAs from Manipur reached out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting the reinstatement of a 'popular government' in the state.

The letters were submitted separately at both the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 29.

Among the 21 legislators, most signatories are from the BJP, with the remainder belonging to the National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF), and two independent members.

The letter addressed to Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah indicated that while the citizens of Manipur welcomed the President's Rule with optimism, no significant actions have been taken to restore peace and stability in the state.

The legislators asserted that establishing a popular government is the sole avenue to achieve peace and normalcy in Manipur.

In pursuit of resolving the prolonged ethnic tensions, a significant tripartite meeting involving officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and representatives from the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities took place in New Delhi on April 5.