Imphal, November 13, 2025*
In a pivotal closed-door conclave that could herald the dawn of a new political era in strife-torn Manipur, BJP's state executive committee on Thursday unanimously endorsed a "consensus chief minister" model for a mid-December swearing-in, greenlighting the end of the 10-month President's Rule that has gripped the hill state amid unrelenting ethnic carnage. National general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh, wrapping up his two-day whirlwind review, hailed the resolution as a "collective mandate for healing and governance," signaling New Delhi's green light to resurrect a saffron-led administration capable of bridging the Meitei-Kuki chasm—while insiders whisper of frontrunners like Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba or former minister Thounaojam Basanta Singh to helm the fragile coalition.
The endorsement emerged from a marathon session at the BJP's Nongmeibung headquarters, attended by all 32 saffron MLAs (including independents in the fold), 10 district presidents, and Northeast coordinator Sambit Patra, who joined virtually from Delhi. Santosh, the RSS-veteran troubleshooter whose Imphal landing on Tuesday ignited revival buzz, steered the discussions toward a "unified roadmap," incorporating feedback from chopper jaunts to Kuki strongholds like Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. "This isn't about one face; it's about one family—Manipur's BJP is united in restoring a popular government that prioritizes peace, progress, and reconciliation," Santosh declared to a cluster of reporters outside the venue, his words a balm for a state where over 250 lives have been lost to Meitei-Kuki clashes since May 2023.
The push for a consensus CM—eschewing a solo strongman in favor of a broad-based leader with valley-hill acceptability—stems from Santosh's ground audit, which blended Meitei-dominated Imphal parleys with tentative hill outreach to National People's Party (NPP) defectors and local BJP cells. Party sources revealed the blueprint eyes a December 15-20 formation timeline, post a special assembly session to revoke President's Rule—imposed February 15 after N. Biren Singh's resignation amid graft probes and violence fatigue. "Central leadership is receptive; we've conveyed the urgency for stability without further delays," a senior MLA, speaking anonymously, told PTI post-meet, adding that safeguards like enhanced hill autonomy councils are on the table to woo Kuki stakeholders.
Manipur's limbo under central rule—extended thrice since February—has ossified politics: Assembly in suspended animation, funds routed via Raj Bhavan, and ethnic silos deepening with fresh Jiribam skirmishes claiming 15 lives last week. The BJP's 2022 sweep, yielding 32 seats in the 60-member house, unraveled under Biren's watch, exposing rifts over land laws and poppy rackets that pitted valley majoritarians against tribal "outsiders." Santosh's visit, fueled by a November 8 MLA delegation's Delhi darshan, marks a course correction: From Biren's ouster—branded "karma" by foes—to this consensus pivot, aiming to reclaim the Northeast bastion ahead of 2027 polls.
Opposition volleys were swift. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh dubbed it "saffron sleight-of-hand," demanding UN-mediated talks and a white paper on intelligence lapses. Kuki civil groups, boycotting ethnic festivals, dismissed the huddle as "Meitei math," urging Delhi to prioritize disarmament over "cosmetic coalitions." Even allies tread gingerly: Conrad Sangma's NPP, with seven MLAs, faces pressure to recommit, per party whispers.
As Santosh boarded his Guwahati flight, Imphal's barbed-wire haze lifted ever so slightly. The consensus nod isn't coronation—it's calibration, threading ethnic needles in a state where trust is scarcer than ceasefires. With Rs 10,000 crore in rehab dangling, December's dawn could reboot Manipur—or reignite the powder keg. In the BJP's playbook, revival rhymes with resolve; for its people, it's a prayer for permanence.
For More News Updates Follow Us On www.tconews.in
