'Govt In Manipur Before Feb 12'

'President's Rule has already been extended twice and one cannot keep the assembly in suspension for much longer.'

With President's Rule ending on February 12 in Manipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its National Democratic Alliance allies have convened a crucial meeting in New Delhi to elect the legislature party leader, signalling imminent government formation in the strife-torn state after nearly a year of central administration.

After almost three years of ethnic strife in the state which began on May 3, 2023, the efforts to form a popular government is likely to bear fruit when a majority of BJP MLAs and its NDA allies will convene at 3 pm today to elect the leader of the legislature party in the Manipur assembly.

With 90% of all 32 BJP MLAs belonging to both the Meitei and Kuki-Zo community and those from its NDA allies -- 7 MLAs from the National People's Party, 5 from the Naga People's Front and 6 from the Janata Dal-United -- in Delhi for a meeting that has been convened at 3 pm to elect the leader of the legislature party in the Manipur assembly the path seem to be paved for formation of a popular government in Manipur after N Biren Singh resigned as chief minister on February 9, 2025 and the imposition of President's Rule on February 13, 2025.

90% of NDA MLAs Assemble In Delhi

Nearly 90% of NDA MLAs from Manipur have arrived in the national capital ahead of the critical meeting, three Manipur MLAs and a former Union minister confirmed to Rediff.

"All the NDA MLAs are in Delhi. They have been asked to come directly instructed by the central leadership," says Thokchom Radheshyam Singh, the BJP MLA from Heirok in Manipur's Thoubal district.

Radheshyam Singh could not confirm if the newly elected BJP national President Nitin Nabin had convened Tuesday's meeting.

The urgency stems from the expiry of the second extension of President's Rule on February 12, 2026. The state has been under central administration since February 13, 2025, when President's Rule was imposed. The assembly was kept in suspension rather than dissolved.

'There Will Be A Government In Place In Manipur'

Sheikh Noorul Hassan, the legislative party leader of the National People's Party, a BJP ally, and the MLA from Kshetrigaon, confirmed that a meeting to elect the leader of the legislature party will be convened at 3 pm on Tuesday.

"The extension of President's Rule in Manipur ends on February 12 and before that there will be a government in place in Manipur," says Hassan.

The BJP has appointed senior leader Tarun Chugh as the central observer for the leadership election process. Former Union minister of state for external affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh acknowledged the development, saying, "Tarun Chugh is appointed to observe the process. All BJP MLAs and NDA allies will be present for the meeting."

Singh remained cautious about confirming government formation plans. "I do not know what they will decide about the formation of the government or electing leader of the legislature party in the Manipur assembly," he says.

Four of the 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs that this correspondent tried to speak to did not answer their phones despite repeated attempts to solicit their views on the formation of the next government in Manipur.

Assembly Speaker Expects New Government

Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, speaker of the suspended Manipur assembly and a BJP MLA, indicated that the central leadership is likely working toward installing a new government rather than seeking another extension of President's Rule.

"President's Rule has already been extended twice and one cannot keep the assembly in suspension for much longer than this," Singh observes.

While he states he has not been formally informed about the election on Tuesday afternoon, he acknowledges the possibility. "That can happen, that is possible because the extension is ending soon on February 12. The central leadership will decide if President's Rule is to be extended or put a new government in place," says Satyabrata Singh.

"I think they must be wanting to form a new government in Manipur and that is why they must have called a meeting of NDA MLAs to elect a leader."

The meeting assumes significance as it brings together MLAs from both the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that have been at odds during Manipur's prolonged ethnic conflict which began on May 3, 2023.

The choice of legislature party leader -- who will likely become Manipur's next chief minister -- will be closely watched for its political and community implications in the sensitive border state.