Manipur CM Defies BJP Central Leadership, Refuses To Step Down

Manipur’s beleaguered Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh, in an open show of defiance against the BJP central leadership and the Union Government, refused to step down from his post Friday (30 June). 

The Union Government, specifically Home Minister Amit Shah, had laid out two options before the Chief Minister: resign on his own or face intervention by the Centre (read: imposition of President’s Rule in the state). 

Biren Singh said he would resign. He was asked to meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey and submit his resignation. Singh was initially scheduled to meet the Governor at 1pm Friday (30 June), but postponed it to 2.30pm. 

But, according to a senior minister, Biren Singh staged an elaborate drama to avoid resigning.

Meitei civil society organisations known to be close to the chief minister mustered huge mobs of women who formed a human ring outside the chief minister’s residence at Babupara in Imphal. 

The women, who started congregating outside the chief minister’s residence from 10am, started shouting slogans asking Biren Singh not to step down. 

Even as the slogans were being raised, the Chief Minister called 20 MLAs close to him to discuss his future strategy. 

Around 2.20pm, he made a show of trying to move out of his residence to go to the Governor's House less than one kilometre away. The large mob of women prevented the CM’s convoy from moving out of his residence. 

The Chief Minister returned from the main gate while a few of the MLAs who were ostensibly accompanying him to the Raj Bhawan went to the crowds and read out his resignation letter. 

The MLAs then went back to meet their ‘boss’ and were huddled with him for the next 1.5 hours. 

During this time, Biren Singh made a few score calls to his senior ministers, chief ministers and senior ministers of other states and some BJP bigwigs in a bid to muster support and stave off his resignation. 

But he did not get much support, especially since Union Home Minister Amit Shah had asked him to step down. And everyone is well aware that Amit Shah’s directive will have the sanction of Prime Minister Modi. 

At one minute past 4pm, Biren Singh tweeted: “At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister”. 

Biren Singh is obviously trying to emerge as a hero to the Meitei community. He knows that he will eventually be forced out of office and his show of defiance will not be taken very kindly by the BJP top leadership. 

But he has obviously decided to take the risk of defying and angering Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in order to cement his support within the Meitei community. 

According to Biren Singh’s calculations, anyone who is appointed chief minister in his place will face the hostility of the Meitei community. And if President’s Rule is imposed, it will anger the Metieis even more. 

A large number of Meiteis support Biren Singh because of his recent combative stance against the Kukis, his refusal to crack down on Meitei militia and terror groups, and his overt support to Meitei civil society groups who are openly calling for retribution against Kukis.