Imphal, July 19: As Manipur continues to grapple with political uncertainty and ethnic unrest, the Manipur Democratic Alliance (MDA) has expressed optimism that a new popular government will be in place by early August, dismissing speculation about the extension of President’s Rule as “misleading and unfounded.”
At a press briefing held Saturday at the alliance’s office in Imphal, MDA convenor M. Tombi told reporters that multiple central leaders, including members of the NDA, Shiv Sena, and a Union Minister, have assured him that the state will witness a return to elected governance soon.
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“The speculation on the extension of President’s Rule in the strife-torn state is bogus,” Tombi stated firmly. “Most of the central leaders I met have clearly indicated that a new government is likely to be formed in the first week of August. There is no move to dissolve the Assembly either.”
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, following the resignation of N. Biren Singh as chief minister amid spiraling violence that began on May 3, 2023. The Assembly remains in suspended animation.
Tombi attributed the delay in forming a new government to internal conflicts among some MLAs, accusing them of placing personal political ambitions above public interest. “There are some MLAs who are selfish and eager to grab power, which is causing the delay. But the people want a stable, popular government, and we must all work towards that,” he said.
The MDA, a coalition of 10 parties aligned with the NDA at the national level, has been pushing for a swift return to democratic governance in the state. With the Parliamentary Budget Session scheduled from July 21 to August 21, the alliance believes the government formation process could be finalized before the session concludes.
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Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Shiv Sena, an MDA and NDA ally, laid out a four-point demand, including: immediate formation of a popular government in Manipur, rehabilitation of displaced persons to their original homes, free movement along national highways as directed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on March 8, and halting the delimitation process based on the “flawed” 2011 census.
The Shiv Sena further demanded that the issue of illegal immigrants in the state be addressed before any delimitation exercise resumes. “No delimitation process should proceed in Manipur before sorting out the illegal immigrant issue,” the statement warned.
As political manoeuvring intensifies behind the scenes, all eyes now turn to the coming weeks and whether Manipur will indeed see the return of an elected government amid the prevailing uncertainty.
(Newmai News Network)