Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, convened a high-level meeting with leaders from Manipur on Thursday, amid the continuing political and humanitarian crisis in the state. The meeting was held at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi.
Also present at the meeting were Congress MP from Inner Manipur, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, and KC Venugopal, General Secretary (Organisation) of the All India Congress Committee (AICC). The Congress party, through its official handle on platform X (formerly Twitter), shared details of the meeting.
“Congress President Kharge today convened a meeting with the Manipur leadership, wherein LoP Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary (Org) KC Venugopal attended,” the party stated in its post.
The meeting comes at a time when Manipur is grappling with severe challenges on multiple fronts. In recent days, incessant rainfall has triggered widespread flooding across several areas of the state. The downpour led to a major breach of the Imphal River's embankment at four locations, resulting in extensive flooding, particularly in Imphal East. Emergency rescue operations have been launched to aid those affected.
Meanwhile, political developments in the state have also gained momentum. Amid the continuing imposition of President’s Rule, nearly 25 BJP MLAs recently gathered at the residence of BJP leader Thongam Biswajit Singh in Imphal. Their primary agenda was to push for the reinstatement of a popular government in the state.
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In a parallel move, on May 28, a group of 10 MLAs—including eight from the BJP, one from the National People's Party (NPP), and one Independent MLA—met with Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal. The delegation formally staked claim to form a government in Manipur, which has been without an elected administration for months.
President’s Rule was imposed in the state on February 13, following the resignation of then Chief Minister and BJP leader N. Biren Singh. The central decision, made under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, transferred administrative control of the state to the President of India, exercised through the Governor.
Manipur has been reeling under ethnic unrest since May 3, 2023, when violent clashes erupted between the majority Meitei community and the minority Kuki-Zomi tribes. The conflict stemmed from long-standing disputes over land rights, job reservations, and economic benefits. The violence has since claimed hundreds of lives and displaced an estimated 60,000 people from their homes.
With both political uncertainty and humanitarian challenges persisting in Manipur, the Congress leadership’s meeting is seen as an effort to assess the situation on the ground and chart a possible course of action going forward.
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