Manipur govt formation: Sambit Patra meets Kuki BJP MLA Nemcha Kipgen

Imphal: BJP's North East in-charge Sambit Patra on Tuesday met Kuki BJP MLA Nemcha Kipgen in Kangpokpi district, party sources said.

Patra also held a meeting with representatives from the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) and other Kuki civil society groups in Kangpokpi district, the sources said.

In the meeting, a memorandum outlining the pressing needs of the Kuki-Zo community was submitted to him.

Patra returned to Imphal after the meeting and then left for Delhi.

While Patra did not give any statement, BJP sources said that he is gathering feedback from all sides to compile a comprehensive report for the central leadership.

On Monday Patra held closed-door meetings with former Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh in Imphal East district. Some BJP MLAs were also present during the closed-door meeting with Singh.

The BJP's North East in-charge also interacted with a few party MLAs at a hotel in Imphal and met Manipur Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh at his residence in Bamon Leikai.

On Monday also Patra met two Kuki Zo MLAs – Vungzagin Valte, who had survived a mob attack on May 4, 2023, and LM Khaute in Churachandpur district.

He also met leaders of the Zomi Student Federation (ZSF), who submitted a memorandum to the BJP leader.

Patra's visit comes nearly a week after 21 Manipur MLAs wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, urging them to form a "popular government" in the state, which is under President's rule to ensure peace and normalcy.

The letters were received separately by the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Home Affairs on April 29.

President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13 after N Biren Singh resigned as the chief minister. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been placed under suspended animation.

The northeastern state has witnessed ethnic clashes between Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023, which left over 260 people dead.