Manipur Political Reset? BJP Top Brass Summons MLAs to Delhi
The BJP Manipur Legislature Party meeting (Image BJP Manipur on X)
With President’s Rule in force, BJP’s Delhi huddle fuels speculation of leadership change and return of a popular government in Manipur.
By NIRENDRA DEV
Guwahati, February 1, 2026 — The Manipur BJP crisis has entered a decisive phase with the party’s central leadership summoning BJP legislators and MLAs from allied parties to New Delhi for urgent consultations on the formation of a popular government in the violence-scarred state. The high-stakes meeting has reignited speculation over whether former Chief Minister N Biren Singh may be asked to step down as leader of the BJP legislative wing.
Several MLAs are scheduled to depart Imphal on morning flights on February 1, with all BJP and allied legislators expected to assemble in the national capital before 3 pm on February 2. The timing is politically significant. Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, 2025, imposed under Article 356, with the state assembly kept in suspended animation for nearly a year.
Sources say intensified discussions are underway on a possible new political arrangement, including a leadership reset. A similar meeting in November had ended inconclusively, with BJP general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh merely advising MLAs to cooperate with Governor Ajay Bhalla’s administration—leaving legislators frustrated over the absence of a roadmap for restoring an elected government.
Momentum appears to have shifted since a crucial Guwahati meeting involving legislators, the Kuki-Zo Council and representatives of groups under Suspension of Operations (SoO). That meeting underscored the need for a “definitive political solution” for the Kuki-Zo people before the 2027 assembly elections.
With elections due by March 2027, BJP legislators are increasingly vocal about reviving a popular government to regain political ground. Informal channels, sources say, are active, with one indication being the possibility of Biren Singh’s induction into the Rajya Sabha—hinting at a face-saving transition rather than an abrupt ouster.
The Delhi meeting could determine whether the Manipur BJP crisis moves toward resolution—or deeper uncertainty.
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