Manipur’s beleaguered Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh, in an open show of defiance against the BJP central leadership and the Union Government, refused to step down from his post Friday (30 June).
The Union Government, specifically Home Minister Amit Shah, had laid out two options before the Chief Minister: resign on his own or face intervention by the Centre.
Biren Singh said he would resign. He was asked to meet Governor Anusuiya Uikey and submit his resignation. Singh was initially scheduled to meet the Governor at 1pm Friday (30 June), but postponed it to 2.30pm.
But, according to a senior minister, Biren Singh staged an elaborate drama to avoid resigning.
Meitei civil society organisations known to be close to the chief minister mustered huge mobs of women who formed a human ring outside the chief minister’s residence at Babupara in Imphal
The women, who started congregating outside the chief minister’s residence from 10am, started shouting slogans asking Biren Singh not to step down.
However, after locals tore his resignation letter and protested against his plan to resign from the CM’s post, Biren Singh clarified that he would not be quitting.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday cleared the air that he will not step down from his position, drawing to a close a day of high drama amid buzz that he was going to step down. In a tweet put out a short while ago, Biren Singh clarified that he is not stepping down from his post.
“At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister,” Singh said on Twitter.