Manipur CM resigned sensing the climate, his resignation was "belated": Jairam Ramesh

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh tendered his resignation on Sunday, February 9, following which Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that the party was set to announce a no-confidence motion against Biren Singh and his cabinet in the state assembly on February 10.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh termed Singh’s decision as “belated,” emphasizing that the party had been calling for his removal since May 2023, when ethnic violence first erupted in the state.

Reacting to Singh’s resignation, Ramesh stated, "Sensing the climate, the Manipur CM has just resigned. This was a demand that the Congress has been making since early May 2023, when Manipur erupted."

The senior Congress leader also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, pointing out that despite the ongoing conflict in Manipur for nearly two years, the PM has not visited the state.

"The people of Manipur now await a visit by our Frequent Flier PM, who is off to France and the USA now—he has found neither the time nor the inclination to go to Manipur these past twenty months," Ramesh remarked.

Singh’s resignation came shortly after his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, following which he returned to Imphal and submitted his resignation letter to Governor Anusuiya Uikey at the Raj Bhavan, accompanied by senior BJP leaders and MLAs.

In his resignation letter, Singh expressed gratitude towards the central government for its support, stating, "It has been an honour to serve the people of Manipur thus far. I am extremely grateful to the central government for its timely actions, interventions, developmental work, and implementation of various projects for safeguarding the interests of every single Manipuri."

Despite the resignation of the chief minister, the BJP-led government still holds a majority in the Manipur Assembly, with 32 BJP MLAs, along with five legislators from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and six from the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)]. Although the National People’s Party (NPP), led by Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, has withdrawn its support, the BJP maintains a comfortable legislative strength.

Manipur has been reeling under ethnic violence since May 2023, which has resulted in over 250 fatalities and displaced thousands. The BJP-led government has faced intense scrutiny over its handling of the ongoing crisis, with critics blaming the administration for its failure to restore normalcy in the state.