'Long overdue': Priyanka Gandhi on Manipur CM Biren Singh's resignation

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday said that the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh was long overdue as the violence in the state has been carrying on for over two years.

"It was long overdue. This has been carrying on for over two years in Manipur," Priyanka said.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore said on Monday that the BJP "hurriedly" took the decision just before the opposition parties were about to bring a no-confidence motion.

"We all know that the hate politics of the BJP, especially the RSS and its organisations in Manipur has crossed its limits. After 22 months, the BJP has acted on it. And before the Congress party and other opposition parties were about to bring a no-confidence motion, they hurriedly took this decision," Tagore said.

Biren Singh tendered his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhawan here on Sunday nearly two years after the violence marred the state.

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

Biren Singh was accompanied by BJP president A Sharda, BJP's North East Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra, along with at least 19 MLAs.

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

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

Earlier, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said that Biren Singh resigned amid mounting pressure from the public, the Supreme Court and Congress.

Gandhi also accused Biren Singh of "instigating" division in Manipur and blamed PM Narendra Modi for "allowing him to continue."

"For nearly two years, BJP's CM Biren Singh instigated division in Manipur. PM Modi allowed him to continue despite the violence, loss of life, and the destruction of the idea of India in Manipur," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.

"The resignation of CM Biren Singh shows that mounting public pressure, the SC investigation and the no-confidence motion by the Congress have forced a reckoning," Gandhi added.