The Bharatiya Janata Party’s appointment of national general secretary Tarun Chugh as central observer to oversee the election of the BJP Manipur Legislature Party leader has signaled a determined push to end President’s Rule, imposed in February 2025 and restore an elected government before its extension lapses around mid-February 2026.
With NDA MLAs from the BJP, NPP, NPF, and others convening in Delhi for high-stakes deliberations, the move carries hopes of renewed democratic governance in a state still reeling from ethnic violence, displacement, and deep divisions.
However, this momentum has been met with a stark public challenge from Kuki BJP MLA Paolienlal Haokip. In his tweet on February 2, 2026, he stated unequivocally: “Without justice for the ethnic cleansing of our people, and sans a written commitment for political settlement, representatives of Kuki Zo people cannot be party to election of Legislative Party Leader in Manipur.”
The post lays down clear preconditions, demanding formal accountability for the violence since May 2023 and a time-bound, written assurance of a negotiated political settlement, often interpreted in Kuki circles as progress toward separate administration or a Union Territory with legislature for hill areas.
This statement is consistent with Paolienlal Haokip’s longstanding positions. He has repeatedly advocated for such a settlement as essential for Kuki participation in any Manipur government, even under President’s Rule, while highlighting ongoing security concerns in hill areas.
His latest intervention arrives precisely when the Centre appears open to accommodative formulas, rumors persist of potential arrangements like one or two Deputy Chief Ministers (possibly one from Kuki and one from Naga communities) to bridge divides and secure broader backing for government formation.
However, issuing such an ultimatum publicly, as a sitting BJP MLA elected on the party’s ticket, crosses into open dissent. It effectively conditions his and potentially other Kuki MLAs’, support on external concessions, placing personal or community bargaining above party unity at a moment when the BJP seeks to consolidate majority support and reclaim administrative control.
Of the 10 Kuki MLAs (seven from BJP), Paolienlal Haokip’s stance amplifies pressures from community bodies and SoO-linked groups insisting on preconditions, but it also risks fracturing the NDA’s efforts and prolonging the limbo under central rule.
An elected government remains the urgent priority for Manipur. President’s Rule provides administrative continuity but lacks democratic legitimacy, local ownership, and the inclusive forum needed to tackle grievances head-on. It cannot fully drive IDP resettlement for over 70,000 displaced persons, impartial justice for victims of atrocities, economic revival, or sustained reconciliation across ethnic lines.
A popularly elected assembly, with representatives from Meitei, Kuki, Naga, and other communities, offers the only viable platform for dialogue, compromise, and policy-making under the Constitution—processes essential to healing wounds and rebuilding trust.
Over the past three years, Paolienlal Haokip has repeatedly directed sharp public criticism at the central BJP leadership including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as well as former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, often without regard for party discipline, constitutional norms, or basic political ethics.
If Paolienlal Haokip believes the current political trajectory fails to meet his constituents’ core demands for justice and settlement, the honorable path is principled resignation from the BJP.
Stepping down gracefully to sit in opposition would enable him to advocate freely for separation, autonomy, or other aspirations without publicly undermining his own party or bargaining from within during this delicate phase.
Such a move would uphold party discipline, preserve personal credibility, and avoid perceptions of internal sabotage at a time when collective stability is paramount.
Public grandstanding and conditional boycotts from inside the ruling fold serve neither reconciliation nor progress. Manipur’s people have already exhausted by prolonged conflict, loss, and administrative drift, deserve leaders committed to shared governance over ultimatums.
The way forward demands compromise where feasible, or honest divergence where irreconcilable. An elected government formed through consensus, not coercion, holds the greatest promise for accountability, resettlement, normalcy, and a future that transcends ethnic fault lines for all of Manipur.
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