BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh. File | Photo credit: PTI
In a further indication of the restoration of an elected government in Manipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Committee on Monday (February 2, 2026) appointed Tarun Chugh, the national general secretary, as the central observer for the Manipur legislature party leader election.
Over the past two days, the BJP central leadership has asked all its legislators as well as alliance partners from Manipur to be present in New Delhi for a crucial meeting. President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur on 13 February 2025 following the resignation of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and the Assembly was suspended.
A meeting of all BJP MLAs is scheduled at the party headquarters in New Delhi at 3 pm on Tuesday (February 3, 2026), preceded by a meeting with alliance partners — National People’s Party (NPP) and Naga People’s Front (NPF) — at 2 pm at Manipur Bhavan in Delhi, sources said.
Besides, the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups in the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Manipur government are expected to meet Adviser (Northeast) AK Mishra on Tuesday (February 3, 2026) in Delhi where the ground rules of the pact and upcoming political developments are likely to be discussed.
On 13 January, Kuki-Zo civil society groups, including SoO groups, decided to agree to the prospect of a people’s government in Manipur, provided the central and state governments give a written commitment to support a negotiated political solution for the union territory with legislation under the constitution.
In a meeting held in Guwahati on January 13, attended by the United People’s Front and the Kuki National Organization (KNO), a Kuki-Zo insurgent group, five Kuki-Zo MLAs and two representatives of the Kuki-Zo Council, a civil society group, it was decided that “the commitment must be fulfilled in a time-bound manner”, namely within the current assembly20.
The SoO groups are likely to reiterate the community’s stand that legislators should not join the government formation, leaving the final decision to MLAs, sources said.
Late on Monday (February 2, 2026), Paolienlal Haokip, Kuki-Zo MLA from Churachandpur, posted on X: “Without justice for the ethnic cleansing of our people and without a written commitment to a political settlement with the representatives of the Kuki Zo people, they cannot participate in the Manipur legislature party leader election.
The political activity is the culmination of a series of security review meetings chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Home Minister Govind Mohan on January 5, where the “pros and cons of restoring an elected government” were discussed.
As The Hindu reported on January 7, since there is no provision to extend the President’s rule for more than a one-year period without moving a Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament, the government is inclined to use all options to restore the government and bring the Meitei, Kuki-Zo and Naga legislators to the same table. On 5 August 2025, Parliament approved the extension of President’s rule in Manipur for another six months till 13 February.
There are 37 BJP MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, which includes seven Kuki-Zo legislators from the party. There are a total of ten Kuki-Zo MLAs in the assembly. Six MLAs are from the National People’s Party (NPP) and five from the Naga People’s Front.
Published – 03 Feb 2026 02:08 IST
