Manipur: New CM or Prez rule? Stalemate continues

NT Correspondent

Imphal: With the political uncertainty in the troubled state continuing, a BJP delegation on Tuesday called on Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan following the resignation of N Biren Singh as chief minister two days ago. The meeting with the governor lasted for around half an hour, but its outcome is not yet known, sources said. Meanwhile, experts have warned that with no one staking claim to form the government so far, the BJP-ruled Manipur may head towards a constitutional crisis.

If the situation remains so, the state is likely to be under President's rule, they said. Senior Supreme Court Advocate Arunabh Chowdhury told PTI: "In Manipur, the assembly is a live one...It is not under suspended animation or President's Rule. It is mandatory to hold assembly sessions as per the Supreme Court order. Obviously, it will lead to a big constitutional crisis.” There is no provision in Article 174 saying that this can be extended or be condoned beyond six months, he said. Article 174 says that the Governor shall from time to time summon the House or each House of the Legislature of a state to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit, but six months shall not intervene between its last sitting in one session and the date appointed for its first sitting in the next session. After six months, it will lead to a constitutional deadlock and the President's Rule under Article 356 is the only option, Chowdhury said.

Article 356 of the Constitution gives the President the power to impose this rule on a state on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers. Meanwhile, Manipur BJP MLAs Sapam Keba and K Ibomcha, who on Tuesday held a meeting with Patra, said they requested the Centre to make efforts to restore peace in the strife-torn state. "Everything will be decided by the high command. We urged the Centre through Patra to find ways to restore normalcy in the state.

Within a couple of days, the Centre will decide on what needs to be done," Keba said. Chief Minister N Biren Singh had on Sunday resigned from his post and Governor AK Bhalla accepted the same. He requested the CM to continue in office until alternative arrangements are made. The Governor has already declared the seventh session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly, which was set to commence from February 10, as null and void.

No CM for capital yet?

Three days after it scored a spectacular victory in the Delhi Assembly polls routing the AAP, the BJP is yet to choose a CM candidate for the coveted post. The names doing the rounds include Parvesh Verma who had defeated Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal , three-time legislator Vijender Gupta, and NDMC vice chairman Satish Upadhyay.

There were even rumours of a woman leader being selected for the post. The BJP leaders who have held the post earlier include Sahib Singh Verma, Madanlal Khurana and Sushma Swaraj. There are reports about Sushma's daughter Bansuri Swaraj and former Union minister Smriti Irani being considered for the job.