Himanta sent to Manipur as BJP tries to save its government

Guwahati: After winning Manipur’s lone Rajya Sabha seat, the BJP has pressed its key Northeast troubleshooter Himanta Biswa Sarma to cement cracks in the state’s ruling alliance, after the Congress not only managed to grab three BJP MLAs into its fold but also roped in four NPP MLAs to form a new alliance, the Secular Progressive Front (SPF).  

Sarma visited Imphal on Sunday night with Meghalaya CM and NPP chief Conrad Sangma, whose Manipur unit withdrew support from the N. Biren Singh government last week, demanding a leadership change.

Sarma, who returned from Imphal on Monday, said: “The Manipur crisis will be resolved with the spirit of the NDA and NEDA, and things will be normal in the next 2-3 days. No threat to the government. No question of a leadership change.”

Earlier, Sarma and Sangma held several rounds of meetings with MLAs and party officials in Imphal. However, NPP sources claimed these meetings were “inconclusive”.

Sangma is trying to persuade his MLAs led by Y Joy Kumar Singh to reconsider their decision to withdraw support and join the Congress-led SPF, which is seeking a special Assembly session to move a no-trust motion. Insiders claimed the present crisis had turned into an ego battle between the chief minister and deputy CM Joy Kumar Singh, who was stripped of his powers along with his ministers, virtually forcing the NPP to withdraw support. The party’s state unit has told Sarma and others that their demand for a change in leadership was “non-negotiable”.