Sun Feb 09 22:19:32 UTC 2025: ## Manipur Chief Minister Resigns Amidst Political Turmoil and Ethnic Violence Fallout

**Imphal, India** – Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned today, two years after ethnic violence erupted in the state. His resignation, submitted to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, follows mounting pressure from within the BJP, a threatened Congress no-confidence motion, and allegations of inciting violence. The budget session of the Manipur assembly, scheduled to begin today, has been cancelled as a result.

The move comes after a period of intense political maneuvering. Around 12 BJP MLAs, reportedly citing the ongoing violence and disagreements with Singh, pushed for a change in leadership. Further fueling the crisis, leaked audio tapes purportedly featuring Singh’s voice inciting violence were investigated, with a private forensic lab confirming a high degree of voice match. The Supreme Court is awaiting a report from the Central Forensic Science Laboratory on the authenticity of the tapes.

While the BJP currently holds a majority in the assembly, the party feared that a floor test, prompted by the Congress’s no-confidence motion, could see MLAs defying the party whip and potentially resulting in a government collapse. Singh’s resignation is seen as a preemptive measure to avoid such a scenario. He reportedly met with BJP president JP Nadda and Union Minister Amit Shah in Delhi earlier today before submitting his resignation.

Congress leaders celebrated the resignation, claiming it vindicated their demands for Singh’s removal. Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X, attributed the resignation to mounting public pressure and the ongoing Supreme Court investigation. Jairam Ramesh highlighted the delay in Singh’s resignation, criticizing Prime Minister Modi for not visiting Manipur in the past twenty months.

Manipur BJP chief A Sharda Devi stated that Singh’s resignation was intended to protect the state’s integrity and prioritize public welfare. The party has yet to announce his successor. The resignation leaves Manipur facing continued political uncertainty amidst the ongoing ethnic violence and its aftermath.

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