BJP Leader BL Santosh’s Manipur Visit Fuels Talk of Restoring Elected Govt
Central leadership begins groundwork to assess feasibility of reviving popular government amid ethnic tensions and President’s Rule
The BJP central leadership and the Union government have begun groundwork in Manipur to assess the situation for reinstating an elected government in the state, which has been under suspended animation since the ethnic violence erupted in May 2023.
BJP national general secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santosh arrived in Imphal on Wednesday and is expected to hold a series of meetings with party MLAs, leaders, office-bearers, and intellectuals to review the political and organisational landscape.
His visit follows a key meeting in New Delhi where 26 BJP MLAs from Manipur urged the party’s top leadership to end the prolonged President’s Rule, arguing that it has weakened governance and eroded public trust.
Party insiders said Santosh’s discussions in Imphal would centre on restoring political stability, rebuilding community confidence, and improving coordination between civil and security agencies amid ongoing ethnic tensions.
Sources also indicated that Santosh might be carrying directives from the central leadership to gauge both administrative feasibility and political readiness for reviving a popular government in the state.
A section of BJP legislators believes that the absence of an elected government has led to administrative delays and slowed rehabilitation efforts for thousands displaced by the violence. “People are losing faith in a bureaucracy-driven administration. Political accountability must return through an elected government,” one legislator said.
Calling Santosh’s visit “not routine,” party sources hinted that it could pave the way for the revival of a popular government ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, as many MLAs have stressed the need to reconnect with the public and rebuild confidence.