Manipur Set for New Government as BJP Appoints Tarun Chugh to Oversee Legislative Party Poll

Around 20 National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MLAs, including former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh, have reached Delhi ahead of the legislative party meeting. Sources indicate that one of the 10 Kuki MLAs may be appointed as Deputy Chief Minister to accommodate the Kuki-Zo community.

President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, 2025, following violent clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May 2023, which resulted in around 260 deaths and displaced thousands. The unrest prompted CM N. Biren Singh to resign on February 9, 2025, and the 60-member Assembly was subsequently suspended. President’s Rule is set to end on February 12, 2026.

Currently, the BJP holds 37 seats in the Manipur Assembly. In the 2022 state elections, the party won 32 seats, with five JD(U) MLAs later joining the BJP. Other parties in the Assembly include the NPF (5), Congress (5), KPA (2), JD(U) (1), independents (3), and one vacant seat. The BJP’s term in Manipur runs until 2027.

The Kuki-Meitei violence was fueled by multiple factors. The Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status raised fears among the Kukis about loss of land and cultural rights in the hill districts, which are predominantly Kuki and Naga areas. Additionally, calls for a separate Kuki administration under “Kukiland” or “Zalengam” were perceived as a threat to state unity by the Meitei community and government authorities. Reports of drug trafficking and opium smuggling accusations against Kuki individuals further strained trust between the communities, with Kukis alleging bias by the previous BJP government and security forces towards the Meiteis.

With the BJP poised to form the next government, political observers note that the appointment of a Kuki Deputy Chief Minister could be crucial in restoring community confidence and stabilizing the state. The upcoming legislative party election and the swearing-in of the new government are expected to conclude the long-standing political uncertainty in Manipur.