Guwahati: With Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh resigning on Sunday, the BJP’s central leadership is in a fix over finding a consensus candidate for the chief minister’s post, triggering speculation about placing the state Assembly under suspended animation by imposing President’s Rule till a consensus is created over the new leadership in the state.Disclosing that the central party leadership was exploring the mechanism to buy time for evolving a consensus on the issue of leadership, sources said the outgoing chief minister has also recommended that the Assembly be kept in suspended animation making it possible for the MLAs to reach a consensus on his replacement. According to a statement from Raj Bhavan in Imphal, governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla has asked Mr N. Biren Singh to continue in office till “alternative arrangements” are made. “The CM has recommended the suspended animation of the Assembly. Mr Singh is likely to continue as caretaker till the Centre takes a call on it,” said a BJP leader in the state. Pointing out that the governor was expected to submit his report to the Centre within a few days, following which President’s Rule may be imposed, security sources said that the Union home ministry was also assessing the prevailing situation in the state. Indicating that there was speculation that Manipur Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh and urban development minister Yumnam Khemchand could emerge as potential candidates for replacing Mr Singh, sources in the BJP said that the central leadership was of the view that it needed more time to create a consensus among the legislators. Sources said that President’s Rule could be initially imposed for four to five months and extended till a consensus candidate for CM was found. A senior BJP MLA who was in the forefront of the revolt against Mr Biren Singh, however, said that the MLAs are disciplined workers of the party and would not take any step that may embarrass the central party leadership. Stressing the need for a wider consultation before choosing a replacement for Mr Biren Singh, another legislator, however, opposed the idea of imposing President’s Rule in the state. He argued: “We have 37 out of 60 MLAs in the Assembly. Our allies NPF and NPP have a total of 11 MLAs. We have a complete majority. The imposition of President’s Rule may show them in poor light.” The Kuki-Zo groups are said to be pressing for President’s Rule in the state. Kuki Zo Council chairperson Henlianthang Thangliet referred to the possibility of another BJP leader from the Meitei-majority Imphal Valley taking up the reins as “old wine in a new bottle”. The Kukis have been demanding a separate administration, citing the impossibility of their co-existence with the Meiteis. It is significant that Manipur has a long history of imposition of President’s Rule. It has already seen it being imposed in the state 10 times so far.
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