Guwahati: Chief Minister N. Voices of protest are rising within Biren Singh BJP led government in Manipur Three MLAs of the party have announced their resignation from administrative posts within a week. Singh is held responsible for his decisions. ThePrint has copies of all the resignations.
Several party colleagues have revolted against Singh’s leadership style and is reportedly being kept away from policy making.
Party sources told ThePrint that at least four MLAs have been camping in New Delhi for the past few days to meet the central leadership and brief them about their allegations and grievances.
Singh is facing dissent from at least 18-19 members, including cabinet ministers, he said, adding that some rebel MLAs, including some Kuki MLAs, Has been visiting the National Capital at different intervals for the “last six months”Demand for change in leadership.
The string of resignations began last week with Heroic MLA and retired IPS officer Thokchom Radheshyam Singh On 13 April, he was removed from the post of Advisor to the Chief Minister. His resignation letter revealed that “he has not been given any responsibility so far”.
Subsequently, Karam Shyam, a party colleague from Langathbal assembly constituency, resigned from his additional charge as chairman of the Manipur Tourism Corporation Limited. This Mentioned a similar reason on Monday in his resignation letter – “No responsibilities assigned as Chairman”.
State unit of BJP A meeting of party MLAs and ministers has been called in Imphal on Friday., The information of the meeting was released by party general secretary L Deben Singh on Tuesday.
The same day, in a Facebook post, BJP MLA Rajkumar Imo Singh, the chief minister’s son-in-law, called for “…disciplinary action against a member of the political party/legislator” for “acting against or spreading propaganda against any program or decision”. Warned of government/party”, or to take any party or government dispute to “any other agency including print and electronic media”.
Another reason for inviting disciplinary action, he said, was to “act in a way to bring down the reputation of the government or the party”.
on Thursday, Party MLA from Wangjing Tentha, Paonam Brojen resigned from her post as president of the Manipur Development Society on “personal grounds”, later making her grievances public through a video message.
Speaking to ThePrint on condition of anonymity, a BJP MLA in Imphal said, “The demand for a change in leadership is due to certain things, which if allowed unchecked, will not only destroy the image of the party Will give, but will also destroy the state socially. And financially.
“The party has been left without saying anything and party workers have been left alone, which is weakening the spirit of the party,” he said. He (CM) Running a family show, due to which no MLA and minister is happy.
This monday (17 April), BJP MLA from Uripok Khwairakpam Raghumani Singh, Announced its presence in New Delhi through a Facebook post. she posted pictures Himself and three of his party colleagues making a courtesy call on BL Verma, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, in New Delhi, Singh said they met to discuss “boundary and development related issues in Manipur”.
He was accompanied by MLAs Radheshyam Singh, Karam Shyam and Ponam Brojen. The team of four is still camping in Delhi.
Whereas, Raghumani Singh filed a police complaint On Wednesday, BJP State Minorities Morcha chief Askar Ali for allegedly “threatening” him through a Facebook comment against the MKM.
It is not yet known whether the chief minister has officially accepted the resignations. ThePrint has sought a response from the chief minister’s office and a response is awaited.
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Opponents’ woes
While both Radheshyam Singh and Karam Shyam said they resigned due to “no responsibility being given”, Ponam Brojen elaborated her reasons through a tweet. video message On Thursday, where he alleged that the CM has not been able to fulfill his assurances.
A four-time MLA and former Congress leader, Brojen resigned from the assembly to join the BJP ahead of the 2020 Manipur bypolls.
speaking manipuriBrojen said the government has not yet cleared pending files for a road construction project in his constituency. He said that the payment to the contractors is due from 2021.
“I am no longer able to visit my constituency as local contractors come to my residence and demand payment. I have become a liar in my own constituency, and that makes me feel like I have failed as an elected representative,” he said, adding that the chief minister is aware of his complaints and Was Necessary action was assured, but nothing happened.
Radheshyam mentioned in his resignation letter that he would like to “contribute and concentrate on the Lok Sabha elections”.
Speaking to ThePrint, They said He was “looking for work, not position”.
Radheshyam was the Minister of Education, Labor and Employment in Biren Singh’s first cabinet from 2017 to 2022. He was among the six ministers who were dropped in the 2020 reshuffle.
Speaking to ThePrint, he pointed out that government officials and their families often benefit, directly or indirectly, from their proximity to the chief minister.
“In a democracy, we have to give priority to the interest of the people. The chosen leader has to be a member of the team. We are all public servants, part of the team. But sometimes, we feel that everything belongs to ‘me and my family’.
Posted on Facebook by Karam Shyam on Monday afternoon Publicly announced his resignation and said that he did not get the desired respect as the Chairman of the Tourism Corporation of Manipur Limited.
“The youth in Manipur are interested in cycling, but when I proposed to promote it, the government did not sanction a single penny for the project. Last year during the Sangai Festival in Manipur, when Union Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy was here for the inauguration, so I didn’t even have a seat, and I took my place in the last row. I was not even given an opportunity to give a speech,” said Shyam.
The next day too, Karam Shyam added, he was not asked to make a speech in the presence of the Governor and the Chief Minister.
not the first time
The chief minister faced dissent within the government in 2019 as well, with some demanding a change in leadership, but the party’s national brass supporting him to remain in the chair.
Differences between the CM and minister Thongam Biswajit Singh were out in the open, with many expressing displeasure over the functioning of the government and demanding a change in leadership.
N Biren Singh then made desperate attempts to negotiate a settlement with the dissidents while they were camped in New Delhi. Four years ago, the names of former Assembly Speaker Yumnam Khemchand Singh and MLA Radheshyam Singh were also included in the list of possible Chief Ministers in the event of a change of leadership.
In 2022, when the BJP won 32 out of 60 assembly seats, a section of party leaders suggested Biswajit Singh for the role of chief minister in the Manipur BJP 2.0 government. Former state Congress chief Govinddas Konthoujam, who will join the BJP in 2021, was also a contender for the post. N Biren Singh took oath of power for the second time in a row.
(Edited by Smriti Sinha)
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