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by Suryaa |
At least 43 members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Manipur’s Phungyar Mandal, Ukhrul district, resigned together just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the state.
Those who quit include the mandal president, chiefs of the Mahila, Yuva, and Kisan wings, as well as several booth presidents from the Naga-majority constituency.
In a joint statement, the leaders said they were unhappy with how the party was functioning. They cited lack of consultation, inclusiveness, and respect for grassroots leadership as the main reasons for their decision. At the same time, they stressed that their loyalty to the party’s ideology remains firm and that they will continue to work for the welfare of their community and the people of Manipur. The state BJP has not yet responded to the resignations.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to arrive on Saturday, marking his first visit since ethnic clashes broke out in May 2023 between Meiteis from the Imphal Valley and Kuki-Zo groups in the hill districts. The violence left more than 260 people dead and displaced thousands. Following the unrest, Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned in February, and President’s Rule was imposed in the state.
In preparation for Modi’s visit, heavy security has been deployed at Kangla Fort in Imphal and Peace Ground in Churachandpur, the two main venues. Security checks have been intensified at entry points like Sanjenthong, Minuthong, and Moirangkhom. Boats are patrolling the moats around Kangla Fort, while sniffer dogs and advanced scanners are being used. Tourist access to the fort has been restricted.
Meanwhile, security forces have stepped up search operations across the state. In the past 48 hours, three militants were arrested, including members of banned groups PREPAK, UNLF (Koireng), and KCP (Taibangnganba).
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