BJP ally NPP exits Manipur coalition

The Conrad Sangma-led National People's Party (NPP) has withdrawn its support from Manipur's BJP-led government, citing dissatisfaction with Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's handling of the state's spiralling ethnic violence.

- Digjyoti Lahkar

However, the BJP retains a comfortable majority in the Assembly, securing its position despite the political turbulence.

In a strongly worded letter to BJP national president JP Nadda, Sangma condemned the government's inability to restore normalcy amid ongoing violence, which has left communities shattered. "The situation has spiralled out of control, with innocent lives lost and communities suffering," the letter read. With the withdrawal of its seven MLAs, the NPP has laid bare growing cracks within the coalition.

The turmoil in Manipur deepened over the weekend with the discovery of two more Meitei bodies floating in Assam's Barak River. The victims, including a woman and a headless minor, are suspected to be among six individuals abducted last week from Jiribam. Their deaths have ignited widespread protests in the valley regions, with mobs targeting political leaders’ residences.