Senior BJP leader and MAHUD Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, who is one of the possible aspirants for the Chief Ministerial post said on Monday that state leaders would abide by whatever decision would be taken by the party high command to resolve the leadership issue in the state.
Khemchand, who holds the Municipal Administrations, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) Departments, made the statement soon after BJP’s North-East in-charge Sambit Patra held a closed-door meeting with him as well as with several party MLAs and leaders at a hotel in Imphal to choose the successor of Chief Minister N.Biren Singh.
Surprising the political and non-political circles, Biren Singh on Sunday tendered his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who requested him to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made.
Khemchand told the media that any decision to be taken by the high command, MLAs and leaders of BJP would accept it.
“Leadership issue would be resolved very soon then the main focus would be on how to restore lasting peace and normalcy,” he pointed out.
The senior minister indicated that efforts of reconciliation between the two communities – Meiteis and Kuki-Zo-Hmar – would be initiated soon.
Khemchand has been critical of the Biren Singh-led government for quite some time for “improper dealing with the ethnic trouble in Manipur”.
A senior party leader said that since Sunday night, Patra, also a member of the Lok Sabha from Puri parliamentary constituency (Odisha), separately met Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh, BJP MLA Th Radheshyam Singh, besides Minister Khemchand.
The leader said more meetings would be held in Imphal as well as in Delhi or Guwahati in the next few days to discuss the leadership issue.
“The party is trying to choose a leader who will be acceptable both among tribals – Kuki-Zo-Hmar and Naga and majority non-tribal Meitei communities,” he told IANS, refusing to be named.
He said that last week, the Central BJP leaders called Chief Minister Biren Singh along with three ministers, a few leaders and MLAs to Delhi and discussed the political and ethnic situation in Manipur.
The BJP leader added that the central leaders also separately called Satyabrata Singh and Khemchand Singh and discussed similar political issues.
Both Satyabrata Singh and Khemchand Singh belong to the Meitei community in Manipur. According to the leader, state Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh and MAHUD Minister Khemchand Singh are the frontrunners for the chief minister’s post.
Meanwhile, to maintain peace and to prevent any trouble security has been tightened in Imphal and its outskirts and a huge contingent of ManipurPpolice and central forces were deployed in sensitive areas including Sanjenthong, Singjamei, Moirangkhom, Keisampat, and Kangla Gate.
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