Amidst the protracted crisis in Manipur for over two years, the former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister of Manipur Nongthombam Biren has hurriedly claimed that his party will win more than 40 seats in the next Manipur Legislative Assembly elections 2027.
Former BJP Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren’s claim leaves everyone who is concerned for Manipur raising their eyebrows and particularly the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has been provoked to come out in public challenging the claim.
At an event at the office of the BJP at Nityaipat Chuthek in Imphal on June 25, commemorating 50 years of the Emergency imposed in India during former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s tenure, former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren claimed that the BJP is confident of winning more than 40 out of 60 seats in the next election, according to reports.
Asserting his claim former BJP Chief Minister Biren said that the Central Government is working to reopen the National Highways and restore normalcy in Manipur, after which it will facilitate the formation of a popular government in the State.
However, it may be mentioned that the Government had failed on March 8, 2025 to reopen the National Highways for all to move freely without any physical threats and intimidations from the Kuki-Zomi militants.
On the other hand, former Chief Minister Biren’s statement aligns with Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remark in an interview with The Times of India that installing a Government in Manipur would be challenging until there is some sort of consensus between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
Moreover, former Chief Minister claimed that the seed of animosity among people, not just in Manipur but across the country, was sown during the Congress tenure.
He further charged that the policy and programmes of the then Congress Government threatened coexistence among people in Manipur’s hill and valley districts.
While more than 61,000 IDPs are languishing in relief camps for more than two years; Meiteis are not allowed to move out of Manipur’s Central Valley and access the National Highways; and the Kuki-Zomis also cannot access Imphal Airport; former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren claimed that peace has gradually returned to Manipur’s valley districts and the Central Government is now focusing on reopening the National Highways and making them accessible to all.
Furthermore, Nongthombam Biren claimed that the Centre has been closely monitoring the situation in Manipur and the BJP workers also have been working to address issues plaguing the State.
Therefore, former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren appeals to all to support BJP in the 2027 Assembly election by speaking about the different schemes implemented by the Central Government.
Not surprisingly, responding to former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren’s claim, MPCC President Keisham Meghachandra has questioned the rationale behind Nongthombam Biren’s assertion on the next Manipur Legislative Assembly elections 2027.
The MPCC on June 26 called for the immediate dissolution of the State Assembly and fresh elections, citing the ongoing violent conflict and continued governance vacuum under President’s Rule, which has remained in effect since February 13, 2025.
“If the BJP has courage, let us dissolve State Assembly and take fresh mandate of the people,” MPCC President and sitting MLA Keisham Meghachandra challenged during a press conference at Congress Bhavan on June 26 and called Biren’s remark childish.
Addressing media persons, MPCC President Meghachandra said the situation on the ground remains unstable, with ethnic tensions persisting across the State despite direct Central Rule in the State. “We are on the 665th day of violence, and the BJP government has failed to restore peace or normalcy. Manipur needs a representative government – Not Indefinite Central Control,” he said.
Moreover, MPCC President Meghachandra strongly condemned BJP Manipur Pradesh for observing the promulgation of national emergency as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’.
Meghachandra said that the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared national emergency on June 25, 1975 due to compelling circumstances in the country at that time and all provisions of the Constitution were followed before taking the decision. While lambasting BJP MLAs for criticising Congress MPs of the State for allegedly failing to fulfil promises made during Lok Sabha election regarding the ongoing crisis, Meghachandra reminded that the on-going crisis erupted during the time of BJP government. The same government stood till the violence lingered for two years but with complete administrative failure.
Even after the imposition of President’s Rule since February 13, 2025, there is no visible change and development, not to speak of failure to bring lasting peace, Meghachandra said and called for dissolving the State Assembly and conduct fresh elections.
While the BJP is observing June 25, the day of promulgation of national emergency in 1975 as ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’, the Constitution has been completely violated, fundamental rights curtailed, and people’s freedom of movement has been deprived in Manipur for more than two years by the BJP’s double engine governments and even during President’s Rule.
Meghachandra also said that all these issues stemmed from the ongoing violent conflict that erupted on May 3, 2023. Moreover, no development programmes have been witnessed since 2021. Despite this, BJP MLAs continue to ridiculously point fingers at the Congress party, he said. Highlighting the growing financial crisis in Manipur, Meghachandra said that the gap between the rich and the poor has widened significantly. Apart from Manipur being one of the poorest States, it has one of the highest inflation rates in the country, he added.
Former Chief Minister and BJP leader Nongthombam Biren’s assertion that the BJP will secure 40 out of 60 seats in the 2027 Manipur Legislative Assembly election is a highly ambitious claim that warrants scrutiny, particularly given the ongoing Manipur crisis, which has persisted since May 3, 2023. The State has been engulfed in violent conflict due to Kuki-Zomi militants’ attack against Meitei civilians and counter attacks from the Meiteis, leading to over 270 deaths, at least 32 missing, more than 61,000 displaced, thousands of houses burned down to ashes and Meitei villages bull-dozed and wiped out in Kuki-Zomi dominated areas, Meiteis are not allowed to move out of Manipur’s Central Valley and access the National Highways while the Kuki-Zomis cannot access the airport in Imphal, and a complete breakdown of governance in many areas.
In this context, Nongthombam Biren’s claim appears more as political posturing and to be more about morale-boosting for BJP cadres than a realistic assessment
Given the unprecedented humanitarian crisis, erosion of governance, and loss of trust, the BJP faces an uphill task in retaining its current strength, let alone expanding it. Unless there is a drastic improvement in law and order, reconciliation efforts, and inclusive policies, the 2027 election could see a fractured mandate, with the BJP struggling to save its face.
The claim, therefore, seems like overconfidence – or perhaps an attempt to drown out criticism – rather than a reflection of Manipur’s volatile political reality.
The claim of winning 40 seats suggests an illusion of unshaken BJP support, despite widespread anger over the handling of the crisis.
In reality, the BJP’s credibility has eroded, even among Kuki-Zomi tribes who now demand a separate administration and even majority of the people including Meiteis and Nagas frustrated with the prolonged crisis.
So, it is everyone’s question that why should former Chief Minister and BJP leader Nongthombam Biren speak out on Manipur Assembly elections 2027 when violent conflict has been continuing and the people of the State has been suffering like anything for more than two years. Why should he deliberately try to keep the political switch on election campaign mode?
It seems a deliberate diversion from resolving the protracted crisis in Manipur. Rather than addressing the ongoing violent conflict, governance collapse, and humanitarian disaster, Biren’s statement appears designed to shift public discourse away from failure of the party and its governance in the State.
By projecting an exaggerated electoral victory, former Chief Minister Biren seems attempting to reframe the narrative – making it about future political dominance rather than resolving the crisis and present governance failures – and more about manipulating public perception.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
