Now, the mind, time and energy of the people of Manipur including a section of the society working in the space of civil society, opinion makers, social and political commentators, experts, social and political observers, media including conventional, social and digital are being spent on the formation of a popular government in Manipur.
The timings of the push for a return of popular government in Manipur need to be noted. Though it is not elaborated explicitly in this story, the push for a return of popular government appears to be periodic while the people or civil societies are facing and pressing the Government for other pressing primary issues related with resolving the violent conflict that erupted on May 3, 2023 in Churachandpur.
It is must be commonly understandable how and why did the last popular government in Manipur fall. If the powerful Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wanted to continue their government in the State though Nongthombam Biren resigned as Chief Minister of Manipur on February 9, 2025 just one day ahead of the already convened Manipur Legislative Assembly to commence on February 10, 2025, the BJP which commands an absolute majority of 55 along with its allies in the 60-member Assembly would have installed someone as Chief Minister and a popular government would continue.
Before the resignation of Nongthombam Biren as Chief Minister of Manipur, there had been strong and persistent demands from the Kuki-Zomis to remove Biren from Chief Minister and impose President’s Rule in Manipur.
With the resignation of Nongthombam Biren as Chief Minister of Manipur and the national leadership of the BJP also was not ready deliberately of conditionally to nominate someone to replace him led to promulgate the President’s Rule in Manipur on February 13, 2025.
It, on the other hand, consequently fulfilled the demands of the Kuki-Zomis to remove Nongthombam Biren as Chief Minister of Manipur and imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur.
Further, this gave the Central Government an opportunity to convince the Kuki-Zomi groups to stop violence against the Meiteis.
However, the Central Government still fails to secure the National Highways for free movement of the people irrespective of ethnic groups. And the de facto “Buffer Zones” segregating the Kuki-Zomi dominated areas from Manipur’s Central valley are still allowed to continue restricting Meiteis to move beyond the Central Valley and the Kuki-Zomis to enter the Central valley.
Amidst the President’s rule and people’s movement against the Gwaltabi incident on May 20, 2025, where a state own Manipur State Transport bus ferrying journalists including reporters of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) was stopped by the 4th Mahar Regiment and forcing them to conceal the “Manipur State Transport” banner from the windscreen of the bus. The incident triggered protests, with Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and other CSOs demanding an apology from the Manipur Governor and calling for the resignation or transfer of the Chief Secretary (CS), Director General of Police (DGP), and the Security Advisor (SA) of the State.
During this tense situation came the push for formation of a popular government. The 23 BJP MLAs met at the former minister Thongam Biswajit’s official residence at Sanjenthong Officers’ Colony in Imphal East on May 30, 2025. They issued a statement saying, “Acknowledging the deep public desire to see the formation of a popular government, we discussed pathways to achieve this with unity and selflessness. We resolved to put aside personal ambitions in the larger interest of the state, its people, and the vision of the BJP and its alliance partners in Manipur,” among others.
This followed 10 MLAs’ claim to form a popular government after meeting the Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on May 28, 2025. On Wednesday, a group of 10 MLAs – comprising 8 from the BJP, 1 from the National People’s Party (NPP), and 1 Independent – led by BJP MLA Thokchom Radheshyam met the Governor at Raj Bhavan in Imphal amidst the ongoing civil disobedience movement spearheaded by COCOMI and other CSOs. The delegation submitted their intention to stake claim for forming the government in the state.
Now, former Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren on June 11 at Imphal airport replying to queries mediapersons asked upon his arrival from New Delhi said that the Centre, like the people, wants installation of a popular government in the restive state.
Notably, former Chief Minister Nongthombam along with Manipur Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba were summoned on June 9 by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah amidst the midnight flash Bandh called by the Arambai Tengol (AT) for 10 days against the arrest of the AT Army Chief Asem Kanan Singh and other four members by CBI/NIA on the evening of June 7, 2025 from Uripok area in Imphal West but CBI press release claimed that he was arrested on June 8, 2025 from Imphal Aiport.
Former Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba held meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on the night of June 9 and in the afternoon of June 10.
“We met Shah on the night of June 9. We held a meeting for over an hour again the next day. I apprised the home minister on various issues including bandhs, internally displaced persons and restriction on free movement along highways,” Biren told the media.
Notably, the 10-day Bandh imposed by the Arambai Tengol was suspended indefinitely and opted for other forms of agitation for pressing their demands to the government.
“I also apprised him (Shah) of the people’s desire for a popular government in the state. Shah said the central government also wants the same and will soon consider it after examining the situation,” the former CM said.
The process of convening a meeting of representatives of various communities is underway, he said.
Further, Nongthombam Biren said the Centre does not want anything that could harm the interests of Manipur and Shah has given his assurance to him on that.
“He (Shah) also appealed to all to maintain peace in the state,” Biren said and urged the people to launch all movements in a peaceful and democratic way.
As Former Chief Minister told the media that the Union Home Minister also wants to form a popular government in Manipur but after examining the situation implies that the formation of a popular government in Manipur is still remote unless the violent conflict is resolved first and brings the Kuki-Zomi MLAs of whom seven are BJP on board.
Given patterns of periodic moves of the push for formation of a popular government in Manipur and along with other incidental and consequential issues divert the focus of the people’s movement to resolve the violent conflict and protection of Manipur’s unity and territorial integrity and coexistence of ethnic groups.
Senior Editor: Imphal Review of Arts and Politics
