Rightfully, the opposition has termed N. Biren Singh’s resignation as the Chief Minister of Manipur as “too little, too late.” The resignation seems to have been a tactic to avoid a no-confidence motion that the Congress was about to bring in the state assembly.
While there are many frontrunners for the Chief Minister’s post, the BJP is yet to decide who will head the next government as the president’s rule has been imposed in the evening of Thursday.
Even as the president’s rule has been imposed, there is little hope that things will improve immediately in the state.
BJP and Biren must take responsibility for the deaths and violence in Manipur that started in May 2023. So far, there have only been half-hearted attempts to usher in peace. To date, 250 people have been killed, and thousands have been left homeless since the civil war broke out in the state between the Kuki-Zo communities and the Meiteis. The state has been divided into two- the hill and valley-and these communities are unable to venture out from their designated zones. Efforts must therefore be made to bring lasting peace and the normalization of the situation.