On a day President Rule in Manipur was revoked and a new ministry sworn in; the Kuki Zo Council opposed the formation of the BJP-led government in the state.
President Droupadi Murmu issued the notification to pave way for the government formation in Imphal on Wednesday. Earlier, the BJP legislative party in Imphal had elected Y Khemchand as its leader.
The Kuki Zo Council disapproved the formation of Y Khemchand ministry in Manipur. In a strongly worded statement, the KZC asserted that “any Kuki-Zo MLA who chooses to disregard the collective decision will be doing so in their individual capacity.” The KZC shall not be held accountable for the consequences arising from such unilateral decisions, warned the statement.
The Kuki Zo Council reiterated its consistent position regarding the formation of the Government of Manipur. At the KZC Governing Council meeting held on December 30, 2025—attended by all constituent tribes, apex bodies, and regional organisations—it was unanimously resolved that, “in view of the unspeakable atrocities committed against the Kuki-Zo people and the enforced physical separation imposed by the Meiteis, the Kuki-Zo people cannot and shall not participate in the formation of the Government of Manipur.”
This collective resolve was further reaffirmed on January 13, 2026 at the joint meeting of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) groups, the Kuki-Zo Council, and Kuki-Zo MLAs—popularly known as the Lungthu Meeting—held in Guwahati.
The meeting had resolved that “the Kuki-Zo people shall not participate in the formation of the Manipur government unless the State and Central Governments provide a clear and written assurance, committing to the political demand of the Kuki-Zo people.”
The Kuki-Zo leaders have been demanding a separate administration in the form of a Union Territory with a legislature. The Kuki-Zo Council urged all concerned MLAs to respect the collective will, sentiments, unity and political aspiration of the Kuki-Zo people.
As Y Khemchand takes charge, Manipur’s new government signals an internal BJP reset—one shaped by anti-Biren politics, factional rivalry, and ideological realignment.
Khemchand is being widely described as an RSS nominee—an assertion that, while unofficial, reflects the perception of a decisive ideological hand shaping Manipur’s latest power transition.
The backstory matters. In 2025, Manipur Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh and Y Khemchand Singh had joined forces to engineer Biren Singh’s resignation and pave the way for President’s Rule. That alliance did not last. Khemchand ultimately outmanoeuvred the Speaker in the ensuing internal tussle, securing the top post for himself.
The Speaker’s dissatisfaction is now an open secret. What remains unclear is how—and when—that resentment may reshape the political chessboard. In Manipur, unresolved factional rivalries have a habit of resurfacing at the worst possible moment.
Meanwhile, Biren Singh is licking his wounds. There is quiet speculation that he may reopen channels with the Congress, a party he once belonged to and where he retains residual goodwill. His continued links with Meitei civil society organisations could yet make him a relevant—if disruptive—actor in the months ahead.
~ Nirendra Dev



