Imphal (Manipur) [India], June 28 : Manipur's former Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday stated that efforts are being made to find an "amicable solution" and restore peace to the ethnic violence hit Manipur, further stating that meetings were also being held with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and NDA MLAs to form a government in the state.
"We are only focusing on the current crisis. We are approaching the central government and concerned persons to find an amicable solution and bring peace to the state of Manipur. We are also meeting with the BJP and NDA MLAs to form a government in the state of Manipur. Now peace is being restored, and the central government, under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is working day and night to bring peace," said Singh while speaking to reporters here.
Earlier on May 28, ten MLAs, including eight from the BJP, one from the NPP and one independent MLA, met the Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Imphal's Raj Bhavan and demanded the formation of a "popular" government in the ethnic violence-hit state.
Their meeting with the governor came amid a civil disobedience campaign in the Imphal valley led by a Meitei organisation, which alleged that central armed forces had insulted the state's identity by masking the words "Manipur State Transport" on a state-run bus on May 20."The majority of people want a popular government installed, and that is the reason we came here to meet the Governor," Independent MLA Sapam Nishikanta Singh told reporters after the meeting.
"We also discussed other things, like the functioning of the President's rule may not be the same after the formation of a popular government. Primarily and basically, the main point was the formation of a popular government. The response of the Governor was also nice," he added.
President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, days after BJP leader N. Biren Singh resigned as Chief Minister. Ethnic conflict broke out in the State on May 3, 2023, causing the loss of lives of hundreds of people.