Manipur NDA MLAs reach Delhi as BJP weighs options ahead of President’s rule deadline

Legislators from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Manipur have begun arriving in the national capital after being called by the central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party, amid renewed deliberations on whether a popular government can be formed in the state before the current spell of President’s rule ends next week.

Sources said nearly 20 MLAs reached Delhi on Sunday night, with others arriving on Monday, February 2, following directions from the party leadership. A meeting with senior BJP leaders is scheduled for Monday evening to review the political situation and assess the feasibility of installing a party-led government in Manipur.

The talks come days before the second phase of the President’s rule expires. Central rule was first imposed on February 13, 2025, for six months after prolonged ethnic violence, and was extended in August 2025 for another six months.

Among those in Delhi are former chief minister N Biren Singh, Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh and former minister Y Khemchand Singh. BJP state president A Sharda Devi is also part of the discussions. The BJP-led government resigned on February 9, following which the 60-member Assembly—whose term runs until 2027—was placed under suspended animation.

Over recent months, the BJP’s central leadership has held multiple rounds of consultations with its MLAs from both Meitei and Kuki communities, alliance partners including the National People’s Party (NPP) and the Naga People’s Front (NPF), as well as Independent legislators, to gauge whether conditions are conducive for forming a government. On December 14, 2025, BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh and the party’s Northeast coordinator Sambit Patra met Meitei and Kuki BJP MLAs together in Delhi.

However, sources said a major obstacle remains the reluctance of BJP’s Kuki MLAs to commit to joining a future government, citing pressure from their community. The Kukis are reportedly seeking a clear assurance from the Centre on their demand for a Union Territory with a legislature.

The BJP currently has 37 MLAs in the state. It won 32 seats in the 2022 Assembly elections, and later gained five more after defections from the Janata Dal (United). Other parties include the NPP (six MLAs), NPF (five), Congress (five), Kuki People’s Alliance (two), JD(U) (one) and three Independents. One seat is vacant following the death of a sitting MLA.

If a new government is not formed in the coming weeks, the Centre will need to move a statutory resolution in both Houses of Parliament during the first part of the ongoing Budget Session to extend President’s rule, sources said.

Since the imposition of central rule, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has taken steps aimed at restoring normalcy, including directing the surrender of arms looted from security forces. The ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities began in May 2023, following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in the hill districts against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. At least 260 people were killed in the unrest.