Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh is facing renewed scrutiny over his handling of the ethnic violence that erupted in the state in May 2023. Leaked audio tapes allegedly featuring Singh, in which he is purportedly heard discussing how the violence was instigated with his approval, have sparked fresh controversy. The Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) has demanded a court-monitored investigation into the authenticity of the tapes, leading to a Supreme Court ruling ordering the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) to verify the tapes' authenticity and submit a report. Singh's tenure has been marked by controversies, including allegations of instigating conflict and questions regarding his governance. Despite a public apology in December 2023 for the violence, the leaked audio tapes have further intensified criticism of his leadership.
"I will resign by tomorrow (on Tuesday) to facilitate the process of government formation," Singh said.
Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh was on Wednesday sworn in as the 23rd chief minister of Manipur for a third consecutive term. Governor Gurbachan Jagat administered the oath of office and secrecy to Singh at a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan at around 3.20 pm. A number of senior Congress members who were to be sworn in along with Ibobi Singh could not take the oath because their names could not be finalised.
Manipur Governor Shivinder Singh Sidhu administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ibobi Singh.
The BJP cobbles up the numbers to stake a claim to form a government in Imphal. But ruling the restive state won't be easy, says Chitra Ahanthem.
Curfew was relaxed in three Imphal Valley districts on Tuesday and the suspension on broadband internet lifted with conditions, even as Chief Minister N Biren Singh blamed the Congress for the present crisis in Manipur and NDA MLAs called for a "mass operation" against militants responsible for the killing of six women and children. Peaceful rallies were also staged across the state, with hundreds taking to the streets with empty coffins in Churachandpur district, demanding justice for those killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Jiribam, and members of various civil society organisations bringing out a procession in Imphal West district to protest the reimposition of AFSPA in parts of the state.
Security has been tightened in Manipur's Jiribam district ahead of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's scheduled visit on Monday, with authorities imposing a ban on aerial photography using drones, officials said.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday apologised for the ethnic conflict in the state which claimed over 250 lives and rendered thousands homeless, and appealed to all communities to forget and forgive past mistakes and live together in a peaceful and prosperous state.
Okram Ibobi Singh was almost written off after last year's crippling economic blockade in Manipur but the 61-year-old warhorse scripted a spectacular hat-trick for the Congress in the strife-torn state.
The 37 MLAs supporting him in the 60-member House, include 30 from his party, the Congress, four of the Communist Party of India and three from the Rashtriya Janata Dal, party sources said.
Speaking at the chief ministers' conference on internal security in New Delhi, Singh said his state endorses the central government's proposal to deploy the BSF, replacing the Assam Rifles, to guard the 1,640-kilometre-long border which will help to ensure effective surveillance of this porous frontier.
The name of her party "People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance" was announced at the Johnstone Higher Secondary School in Imphal.
The proceedings began at 11 am with two-minute silence for those killed in the ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kukis that began on May 3.
While the Congress demanded immediate sacking of Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the Samajwadi Party and a few others sought imposition of President's rule in the state that has witnessed sporadic violence in since May 3.
'It is difficult to replace him because if he is replaced, it will lead to a sense of defeat among the Meiteis, rightly or wrongly, and more chaos.'
Ten Manipur tribal MLAs Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to withdraw Assam Rifles from security duties in the violence-hit state, saying its personnel have been putting their lives at risks to create buffer zones between the two warring communities.
'The prime minister has not yet expressed anything regarding Manipur. Is Manipur a part of India or not? If it is, why hasn't the Prime Minister of India spoken about it'
The former footballer who later became editor of a vernacular daily Naharolgi Thoudang, has managed to strike a chord with the youth, promoting entrepreneurship through programmes such as 'Start-Up Manipur' as an alternative for young people who were being attracted to insurgency.
This comes after 10 Kuki MLAs, cutting across party affiliations, had expressed their inability to attend the assembly session as violence in the northeastern state continued.
'Meiteis started feeling insecure stating that the illegal immigrant population is growing in the valley, and that the majority community would become a minority.'
The Congress sought her intervention in helping bring normalcy in violence-hit Manipur, and called for the constitution of a high-level inquiry commission headed by a serving or retired Supreme Court judge to probe the incident.
On Thursday, he had visited relief camps in Churachandpur, one of the worst affected towns in the ethnic rioting, which has plagued the northeastern state for the last two months.
A four-time MLA from Heingang sssembly constituency, 56-year-old Biren Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party last year.
Violence was reported from some places of the north east state hours before the second phase of polling commenced as a BJP supporter was gunned down allegedly by a Congress worker and a crude bomb exploded outside the residence of an expelled saffron party leader, police said.
Shergill said the primary reason was that "the ideology and the vision of the current decision makers of the Congress is no longer in sync with the aspirations of the youth and modern India".
Sharmila will contest from Thoubal seat, convenor of her party People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance Erendro Leichonbam, said.
'As soon as the violence broke out, they should have stepped in and sent a message that the state is there to stop this violence.' 'Had they done it right there, the situation would not have gone out of control.'
Echoing Rahul, Manipur CM Ibobi Singh too demanded that the contents of the accord be made public and uploaded on the Internet.
Henry Okram, nephew of former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ibobi Singh, Panonam Broken, Oinam Lukhoi Singh, Ngamthang Haokip, Ginsuanhau Zou were inducted into the BJP by its vice president Baijayant Jay Panda.
The Congress squares up with the Manipur Peoples Party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party is ahead in 20 seats in Manipur, with Chief Minister N Biren Singh leading by a handsome margin of more than 16,000 votes against his nearest Congress rival in Heingang constituency, Election Commission data showed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended birthday greetings to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who turned 45 on Friday.
The militants belonged to the banned United National Liberation Front, People's Liberation Army, Kangleipak Communist Party, Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup, People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak and People's United Liberation Front
On paper, the prestigious Wangkhei assembly constituency in the heart of Manipur capital Imphal will witness a multi-cornered contest but all eyes will be on the interesting fight between senior minister Y Erabot Singh and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh's nephew Henry Okram.
The National Election Watch has put out a report pertaining the chief ministers of the five states going to polls -- Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.
Before leaving, Biren Singh said that he and the present and former Congress MLAs will meet the BJP central leadership in the national capital to personally introduce and to invite them to join the party.
They cited the lack of trust in the leadership of O Ibobi Singh and said that due to him, the Congress failed to form the government even when it was the single largest party in the state.
A jawan of the Manipur Rifles was injured in the firing which took place when the chief minister stepped out of the helicopter at the Ukhrul helipad
The four MLAs, accompanied by Sangma and BJP's trouble-shooter and Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, visited the Raj Bhavan in the afternoon to submit letter of support to the BJP-led government.
On the eve of the elections, we take a look at what drives the Manipuri vote.
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