NEW DELHI: Continuing violence and internal divisions have cast a shadow over the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) preparations for the upcoming Manipur elections and its bid to retain power in the state for a third term, party leaders aware of the matter said.
But there is a need to take more steps both politically and administratively to end this cycle of violence that has gone on since 2023…” said a party leader on condition of anonymity. The BJP, which won just 21 of the 60 seats in the 2017 polls, formed the government with the support of four National People’s Party (NPP) MLAs, four Naga People’s Front (NPF) MLAs, one Lok Janshakti Party MLA and an independent legislator, even as the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats. In 2022, the BJP returned to power with 32 legislators, while the Congress’s tally shrank to five. However, he resigned on February 9, 2025 amid mounting internal discord and the threat of a no-confidence motion as violence continued unabated in the state. On February 4, 2026, former Manipur assembly speaker and BJP leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh, a Meitei, took oath as the chief minister. On September 1, Dikho and eight other Naga lawmakers wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah seeking action against Kipgen and her husband, alleging that they were colluding with Kuki militants.
Manipur is slated to go to polls early next year, alongside Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand. “Both the union and the state government have been making efforts to end the violence that has left many dead and displaced. With the security situation still precarious, the BJP is yet to finalise its election strategy and campaign plans, leaving the cadre uncertain, people aware of the matter sad. “We are still waiting for the high command to work out the election plan. N Biren Singh had become chief minister after both election victories. A week later, President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur. Along with Singh, two deputy chief ministers representing the Kuki-Zo and Naga communities — Losii Dikho and Nemcha Kipgen — also took oath in a low-key ceremony at the Lok Bhavan in Imphal. However, the new government setup has also come under strain. Ties between Dikho and Kipgen have deteriorated amid clashes between members of the Naga and Kuki communities. Kipgen has rejected the charges.
State BJP leaders said they were banking on the Union government to restore peace in the strife-torn state and bridge the divide between warring communities before the polling cycle kicked in. Last month, the party appointed [Assam legislator] Rajdeep Roy as the state in-charge, but we are still not in a position to hit the ground running,” the leader said.
