Manipur CM in focus after arson rock state violence,

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is maintaining a studied silence on the situation in Manipur and has declined to comment on whether the state government was blindsided by events that stoked violence in the northeastern state that left a trail of deaths and incidents of arson.

- Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Clashes broke out this week after the Manipur high court directed the state government to recommend the inclusion of the Meitei community in the list of scheduled tribes. Even as the union government has stepped in to control the violence, all eyes are on how chief minister Biren Singh will combat the crisis.

Singh, who got a second term as chief minister after the party retained power in the assembly election held in 2022, is not new to controversies. His first term in office was marked by infighting among the state unit leaders and legislators, who on several occasions turned to the high command for resolution.