Manipur under President's Rule amid political turmoil and ethnic strife

The President's Rule came as the BJP's state leadership failed to reach a consensus on a new chief minister, preventing the Assembly from convening

The union government placed the northeastern state of Manipur under President’s Rule on Thursday evening, responding to nearly two years of unrest and an impending constitutional crisis. The move comes just days after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned, preempting a no-confidence motion led by the opposition Congress party.

 

This marks the 11th time since 1951 that Manipur has come under direct central rule, underscoring the fragile political landscape in a state riven by ethnic violence and political instability.

 

A communique from the office of President Droupadi Murmu reads, “After receiving a report from Governor Ajay Bhalla and considering the report and other information received by me, I am satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the Government of that State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of India.”

 

 

What led to the President’s Rule? 

The Centre’s decision came as the BJP’s state leadership failed to reach a consensus on a new chief minister, preventing the Assembly from convening.

 

N Biren Singh, facing internal dissidence within his party, submitted his resignation to the Governor last Sunday after a series of meetings with the BJP's top leadership in Delhi. Meanwhile, BJP’s Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra has been engaging in discussions with state MLAs in Imphal. However, despite signs of progress earlier this week, no final decision on leadership was reached.

 

Adding to the crisis, the deadline for convening the state assembly—according to Article 174(1) of the Constitution, which mandates that a state Assembly must be convened within six months of its last sitting—was February 14, 2025. Manipur’s last Assembly session was on August 12, 2024, and the anticipated Budget session scheduled for Monday was indefinitely postponed following Singh’s resignation. With no government in place and the Assembly unable to convene, the imposition of President’s Rule became inevitable.

 

Manipur under direct rule after 23 years 

This marks the 11th time Article 356 of the Indian Constitution has been enforced in Manipur. The last occurrence was between June 2, 2001, and March 6, 2002, lasting 277 days.

 

Clarifying the situation, BJP’s state chief A Sarda Devi told NDTV, “The Assembly will remain in suspended animation. Once the situation improves, it will function again.”

 

Manipur’s shadow of violence and political crisis 

The crisis in Manipur is deeply rooted in an ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, which has raged since May 2023, claiming over 200 lives and displacing thousands. The prolonged violence sparked intense political scrutiny, with the Congress Party continuously pressuring both the state and central governments to take decisive action.

 

In November 2024, the National People's Party (NPP), led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, withdrew support from the BJP government, further deepening the crisis.

 

While BJP retained a simple majority with 32 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly, 12 rebel BJP MLAs demanded a change in leadership. The crisis escalated when leaked audio tapes surfaced, allegedly linking Biren Singh to the ethnic violence. The Congress claimed these tapes were proof of Singh’s complicity. Private forensic lab Truth Labs verified that 93 per cent of the leaked tapes matched Biren Singh’s voice, prompting Supreme Court intervention. The Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) has been asked to submit a report on the recordings.

 

Congress reacts: Finally! 

The imposition of President’s Rule has been met with jubilation within the Congress ranks.

  Rahul Gandhi took to X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur is a belated admission by the BJP of their complete inability to govern in Manipur.” 

The imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur is a belated admission by the BJP of their complete inability to govern in Manipur.  Now, PM Modi can no longer deny his direct responsibility for Manipur.  Has he finally made up his mind to visit the state, and explain to the…

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 13, 2025

  Congress leader Jairam Ramesh echoed the sentiment, posting, “Finally, what the Indian National Congress has been demanding for almost 20 months has happened. President’s Rule has been imposed in Manipur.”

 

He further slammed the BJP government, saying, “This comes after the BJP and its allies secured a massive mandate in the 2022 elections, only to lead the state into a colossal tragedy within just 15 months. It also proves that the Union Home Minister has failed to manage the situation, despite the Prime Minister entrusting him with the responsibility.”

 

(With agency inputs)