IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has expressed discontent over the Congress party’s victory in both of the state’s Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general elections, attributing the outcome to a “sudden emotional outburst” among voters. Singh, speaking to the media on Tuesday, questioned the role of the newly elected Congress MPs in addressing Manipur’s pressing issues in Parliament.
Biren Singh, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), pointed out that Manipur’s two newly elected Lok Sabha MPs—Angmocha Bimol Akoijam and Alfred-Kan Ngam Arthur—had failed to raise key concerns, such as border fencing, the Free Movement Regime (FMR), and the identification of illegal immigrants. “The people’s emotional response led to their votes for Congress, but have these MPs spoken about the state’s core issues? What have they done to address the challenges we face?” he questioned.
In the 2019 general elections, the BJP and Naga People’s Front had won the two seats, but in 2024, Congress made a clean sweep. Singh expressed disbelief over how these results came about, especially as the state has been reeling from ethnic violence, which has claimed over 200 lives and displaced thousands since May 2023.
Singh also took aim at senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, who recently suggested granting regional autonomy to the Meitei, Kuki, and Naga communities in Manipur. Singh criticized the Congress for not distancing itself from Chidambaram’s controversial post, adding that the state could “break” without the support of the BJP-led government at the Centre.
The ongoing ethnic unrest in Manipur remains a significant challenge for the state, with tensions continuing between the Meitei and Kuki communities.
