Why did the NPP Withdraw its Support for the BJP Government in Manipur?

The leadership of the Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party has pulled its backing
from the Manipur coalition government on Sunday due to ongoing violence in the region. The
conflict, which is an inter-communal battle between the Meitei and Kuki communities, has led
to at least 250 fatalities and forced the displacement of approximately 60,000 individuals
since the start of 2023.

A letter sent to the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Chief Justice JP Nadda, expressed
“serious concerns” regarding the law and order situation in Manipur and criticized the Biren
Singh administration for its failure to address the crisis effectively.

Congrad Sangma said that, they firmly believe that the Manipur State Government, headed
by Shri Biren Singh, has utterly failed to tackle the crisis and bring back normalcy.
Considering the current scenario, the National People’s Party has made the decision to
withdraw its support from the Biren Singh-led government in Manipur, effective immediately.

This move comes nearly a year after another coalition partner, the Kuki People’s Alliance,
also decided to leave the National Democratic Alliance. The departure of the National
People’s Party will not disrupt governance as the Bharatiya Janata Party still holds a
complete majority in the state.

The state of Manipur has been divided into two distinct ethnic territories — the Imphal valley,
controlled by the Meitei, and the hills, dominated by the Kuki community, with a buffer zone
of no-man’s land overseen by federal forces. The Meitei population makes up about 53% ofthe state’s inhabitants, while tribal groups, including the Nagas and Kukis, represent slightly
over 40%.

A curfew was declared on Saturday, and internet and mobile services were shut down
following an attempt by protesters to invade the homes of several lawmakers, including the
state Chief Minister N Biren Singh. The police arrested 23 individuals in connection with this
incident on Sunday, while many disregarded the curfew to stage demonstrations against the
recent escalation of violence.

At least 10 individuals from the Kuki-Zo community were killed
in a shootout with the CRPF earlier this week. The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (a key
group for the Kukis) allege that these individuals were volunteers, while the Manipur
government labels them as militants.

Three women and three children who resided in a relief camp in the Jiribam district have
also gone missing during the conflict — with Meitei groups claiming they were abducted by
the retreating ‘militants’. The bodies of the missing women and children were recovered later
in the week, leading to renewed protests.