IMPHAL, Feb 13: President’s rule was imposed in strife-torn Manipur on Thursday under Article 356 of the Constitution and the state assembly put under suspended animation, five days after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from the post following the directions from the central BJP leaders.
A notification issued from the Ministry of Home Affairs said on Thursday that President Droupadi Murmu has received a report from the Governor of Manipur and after considering the report and other information received by the President, she was satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the government of that state cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
“Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred by Article 356 of the Constitution, and of all other powers enabling me on that behalf, I hereby proclaim that I assume to myself as President of India all functions of the Government of the State of Manipur and all powers vested in or exercisable by the Governor of that State declare that the powers of the Legislature of the said state shall be exercisable by or under the authority of Parliament, and make the following incidental and consequential provisions which appear to me to be necessary or desirable for giving effect to the objects of this Proclamation,” the notification reads.
The BJP’s Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra after the imposition of the President’s Rule said that the “60-member state assembly has been put under suspended animation”.
Meanwhile, after the resignation of the CM, hectic parleys took place to choose an alternate leader of the ruling BJP legislature party who would lead the new government.
Since February 9, Patra has held a series of meetings with the Ministers, MLAs and leaders of BJP and other party allies to take their views before the selection of the new legislature party leader.
He also held at least three meetings with Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla in Raj Bhavan and discussed the prevailing political situation in the trouble-torn state.
A top BJP leader said that after hectic parleys, they could not finalise a consensus name of the leader of the legislature party who could be the next CM.
The possibility of President’s Rule issue dominated the headlines after the Governor made the budget session of the Manipur assembly “null and void” hours after Biren Singh quit on February 9.
The Budget session of the Manipur Assembly was scheduled to start on February 10 with the customary speech of the Governor and it would have continued till February 24.
According to a top BJP leader, state Assembly Speaker, Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, Municipal Administrations, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) Minister, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, and Rajya Member from Manipur, Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba are the frontrunners for the CM’s post. (IANS)
