Imphal: The Opposition Congress in Manipur has filed disqualification petitions against four National People’s Party (NPP) MLAs for extending support to the BJP-led government, despite the NPP officially withdrawing its support to the saffron party in November last year.
Manipur Congress vice-president Hareshwar Goswami, a retired bureaucrat, submitted four separate disqualification petitions to the Speaker’s Tribunal of the Assembly.
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Speaking to the media, Goswami’s lead counsel, N. Bupenda Meitei, said the petitions targeted the NPP MLAs for their continued association with the BJP-led government.
“The four MLAs attended a meeting of ruling legislators convened by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in November, despite the NPP’s National President, Conrad K. Sangma, withdrawing the party’s support to the BJP-led government,” said Meitei, who is also an advocate at the Manipur High Court.
Citing the Meghachandra case, in which the Supreme Court mandated a three-month timeline for deciding pending disqualification petitions, Meitei expressed confidence that the Speaker would act promptly on the matter.
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The four NPP MLAs named in the petitions are Mayanglambam Rameshwar Singh, Thongam Shanti Singh, Irengbam Nalini Devi, and Janghemlung Panmei.
The NPP, led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, officially withdrew its support from the BJP-led Manipur government on November 17, 2023. The party accused Chief Minister N. Biren Singh of failing to resolve the ongoing crisis and restore normalcy in the violence-hit state.
The NPP, which originally had seven MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, was reduced to six following the death of NPP MLA N. Kayisii, who also served as the party’s Manipur unit President. Kayisii passed away on January 18 after a prolonged illness.
Despite the NPP’s withdrawal, the BJP-led government remains unaffected, as it holds the support of 37 BJP MLAs, five MLAs from the Naga People’s Front (NPF), and three Independents.
Since the outbreak of ethnic violence in Manipur on May 3, 2023, 10 tribal MLAs, including seven from the BJP and two from the Kuki People’s Alliance, have been boycotting Assembly sessions and demanding separate administration or Union Territory status for tribal communities.
Among the 10 tribal MLAs, two Ministers—Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen, the lone woman Minister—have refrained from attending Cabinet meetings or visiting the state capital due to security concerns.
The BJP leadership and Chief Minister Biren Singh have yet to take any action against the seven tribal MLAs from the party who have joined the boycott.