Manipur Governor orders upcoming Assembly session null & void
In a sudden turn of events, the seventh session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly, which was slated to commence from February 10, has been declared “null and void” by the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla. This decision comes on the heels of Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s sudden resignation tendered to the Governor at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Sunday.
According to sources, the Governor took the drastic step after receiving the resignation letter from the Chief Minister, effectively bringing the Assembly session to a halt. The cancellation of the session also means that the proposed no-confidence motion against the government, which was scheduled to be taken up during the session, has been shelved.
The development has sent shockwaves through the political circles in Manipur, with many speculating about the reasons behind the Chief Minister’s abrupt resignation. While the official reason for the resignation is not publicly known, sources close to the government suggest that it may be linked to internal party conflicts and differences within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the handling of the state’s affairs.
The decision to cancel the Assembly session has also raised questions about the stability of the government in the state. With the Chief Minister gone, it is unclear who will take charge of the government in the interim period or whether a new Chief Minister will be appointed in the near future.
The sudden cancellation of the Assembly session has also put a hold on several important legislative business, including the presentation of the state budget and the passage of crucial bills. The delay in the presentation of the budget, in particular, is likely to cause inconvenience to the state administration, which relies heavily on the budget to implement its development plans and schemes.
The ruling BJP has been in power in Manipur since 2017, and the sudden resignation of the Chief Minister has raised concerns about the party’s ability to maintain stability in the state. The party has been facing internal conflicts and dissensions over the past few months, with several party leaders publicly criticizing the government’s handling of various issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the state’s economic woes.
The opposition parties in the state, including the Congress and the National People’s Party (NPP), have welcomed the Governor’s decision to cancel the Assembly session, saying that it is a necessary step to ensure stability and good governance in the state. However, they have also demanded that the Governor should take immediate steps to appoint an interim Chief Minister and convene the Assembly at the earliest to ensure that the government continues to function smoothly.
In his resignation letter, Chief Minister N Biren Singh had expressed his gratitude to the Governor and the people of Manipur for the opportunity to serve the state. However, he did not give any specific reason for his resignation, leaving many to speculate about the real reasons behind his sudden departure.
The development is likely to have far-reaching implications for the state’s politics, and it remains to be seen how the situation unfolds in the coming days. One thing is clear, however: the cancellation of the Assembly session and the resignation of the Chief Minister have set off a chain of events that will have significant consequences for the state and its people.
