SHILLONG, April 2: Former NPP state president and Rajya Sabha MP WR Kharlukhi on Wednesday criticised former Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh’s remarks against the late PA Sangma, calling them a reflection of frustration over his ouster as Chief Minister due to his failure to restore peace in Manipur.
“He is just a frustrated man, and I pity him. Out of frustration over losing his Chief Minister’s post, he is making these remarks. There is nothing concrete in what he is saying. The late P.A. Sangma was a patriotic Indian,” said Kharlukhi, who worked closely with Sangma.
Kharlukhi was responding to a query about why Biren Singh had suddenly taken to social media to make accusations against Purno Sangma and his son, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
Taking a swipe at Singh, Kharlukhi remarked, “He was in power for so long, yet he failed to govern and restore peace in his state. What is he talking about?”
Regarding the NPP’s demand for an apology from Singh, Kharlukhi dismissed the idea, saying, “The stature of PA Sangma is incomparable. I don’t even think Biren Singh understands the word ‘apology.’ If he can speak like this against a towering figure of the Northeast, I doubt he even knows the meaning of the word.”
When asked whether the possibility of seven Kuki MLAs in Manipur joining the NPP could have triggered Singh’s outburst, Kharlukhi said he is no longer involved in party affairs at that level.
A fresh political storm has erupted on social media between Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Biren Singh. The controversy arose after Sangma strongly objected to a post by Singh, which he claimed wrongly implicated his late father, PA Sangma, in the ethnic conflicts in the Northeast, including Manipur.
The online exchange highlights the deepening political fault lines in the region, with Singh accusing Sangma of exploiting Manipur’s turmoil for political gain.
