BJP Manipur chief backs Biren Singh's resignation from CM position

Speaking to media, BJP Manipur chief Sharda Devi stated that Singh tendered his resignation for the welfare of the people of the state

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Manipur President A Sharda Devi has backed N Biren Singh's decision to resign as the State's Chief Minister, asserting that the decision was made for the peace of the region.

Speaking to mediapersons on Sunday, Sharda Devi stated that Singh tendered his resignation for the welfare of the people of the state.

She also mentioned that Biren Singh had requested the Centre to ensure the safety of Manipur's residents. She also rejected any discord among party's legislatures.

"Our CM has tendered his resignation to the Governor. He has resigned for the people of the state. He has also requested the Central government to safeguard the integrity of the state and protect its people. His resignation was made with the future of the state in mind. There are no differences among the party's MLAs. The CM wants peace in the state and has requested the Centre to provide safety to the people," the BJP leader said.

Reacting to Singh's resignation, BJP MP from Darrang-Udalguri, Assam, Dilip Saikia said, "I have just received information about his resignation. It is his decision. I will discuss this with my cabinet, and our party will decide the next course of discussions regarding Manipur. We just want Manipur to progress and have peace."

Notably, Biren Singh tendered his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhawan on Sunday, nearly two years after violence erupted in the state.

The violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, following a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM). The rally was held after the Manipur High Court directed the state to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list.

Singh was accompanied by BJP president A Sharda Devi, BJP's North East Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra, and at least 19 MLAs while submitting his resignation.

"It has been an honour to serve the people of Manipur so far," Singh stated in his resignation letter.

"I am extremely grateful to the Central government for timely actions, interventions, developmental work, and the implementation of various projects aimed at safeguarding the interests of every single Manipuri," he further mentioned in the letter.

Singh also outlined key priorities in his resignation letter, stating, "I take this opportunity to enumerate the most important ones: maintaining the territorial integrity of Manipur, which has a rich and diverse civilizational history spanning thousands of years; cracking down on border infiltration and formulating policies for the deportation of illegal immigrants; continuing the fight against drugs and narco-terrorism; implementing a stringent and foolproof revised mechanism for the Free Movement Regime (FMR) with biometric application; and ensuring a time-bound and faster border security process, which is currently underway.