Following the resignation of N Biren Singh as Manipur chief minister, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified its efforts to find his successor. The party’s Northeast coordinator, Sambit Patra, held a marathon series of meetings in Imphal on Monday with senior party MLAs, including those who had previously dissented against N Biren Singh. Sources within the BJP indicated that the leadership is aiming to reach a consensus on the next chief minister as soon as possible to maintain stability in the state. Until a final decision is made, N Biren Singh continues to serve as interim chief minister.
While the possibility of President’s Rule is not entirely ruled out, sources suggest that the BJP is keen to avoid imposing central rule in Manipur. The party wants its MLAs to elect a leader through consensus to prevent any governance vacuum. However, if the legislators fail to reach an agreement, suspending the Assembly and imposing President’s Rule remains a possible course of action. Given the urgency of the situation, the BJP is working within a limited timeframe to finalize its choice for the next chief minister.
In the 60-member Manipur Assembly, the BJP holds a majority with 37 MLAs. Among them, seven belong to the Kuki-Zo community, who have refrained from participating in Assembly sessions since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023. These MLAs have also stated that they will not support a government led by N Biren Singh. Leaders of Kuki-Zo civil society organizations have expressed their opposition to replacing N Biren Singh with another leader from the Meitei community, though the MLAs from the community have remained largely silent on the matter. One MLA mentioned that discussions within the community would take place on Tuesday, but they had not yet been formally consulted as a group.
Several BJP leaders have emerged as potential candidates to replace N Biren Singh. Among them is state Cabinet minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who previously served as speaker during N Biren Singh’s first term from 2017 to 2022. A senior leader and critic of N Biren Singh, he is known to have strong backing from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). His ability to maintain balance within the party without adopting radical stances has made him a strong contender for the role. Another candidate is current speaker Thockchom Satyabrata Singh, who was a minister during N Biren Singh’s first term and enjoys the support of a section of BJP MLAs.
Thongam Biswajit Singh, a veteran BJP leader who served in the cabinet during both of N Biren Singh’s terms, is also in contention. Despite being a frontrunner for the chief ministerial position after the BJP’s victories in 2017 and 2022, he remained a key supporter of N Biren Singh until his resignation. Another name being considered is Thockchom Radheshyam Singh, a former IPS officer and former minister who served as an adviser to N Biren Singh before resigning from the post in April 2023.
As discussions progress, Sambit Patra is expected to compile a list of potential candidates and submit it to the BJP’s central leadership. Once these deliberations are completed, the central leadership will likely convene a meeting of MLAs to finalize the decision. The party is under pressure to resolve the leadership crisis swiftly to ensure stability in Manipur, where political tensions remain high.
