Resignations of BJP MLAs continues in Manipur with Raghumani Singh resigning from the post of Chairman of Manipur Renewable Energy Development Authority on Monday.
Raghumani is the fourth MLA to have resigned from their posts in the government this month.
Raghumani, like two other MLAs, cited personal reasons for his resignation but sources within BJP suggested growing dissent against Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who became the CM for the second term last year.
The four MLAs are reportedly camping in New Delhi to apprise the party high command about the growing discontentment in the ruling party camp against Biren Singh. Sources within BJP said more MLAs are likely to resign given the fact that CM Biren Singh has remained unfazed and has not taken any important step to address the "grievances" of a section of MLAs.
Thockchom Radheshyam Singh was the first MLA to resign as adviser of Biren Singh on April 13. In his resignation letter, Radheshyam said that he was not given any responsibility by Biren since his appointment. Karam Shyam, an MLA from Langthabal Assembly constituency quit the post of chairman, Tourism Corporation of Manipur four days later citing the same reason. On Thursday, P. Brojen Singh became the third BJP MLA to have quit. Citing personal reasons, Borjen resigned from the post of Chairman Manipur Development Corporation.
Biren became the CM after BJP won 32 out of 60 Assembly seats last year. Although BJP got the absolute majority, the party took more than a week to name Biren as the CM again as Th. Biswajit Singh, a senior MLA, was a strong contender for the post.
Biren Singh, however, has rejected the speculation about dissent against him. On Monday, Biren attended a function to lay the foundation stone of a five star hotel in Imphal and took part in a conference of sports ministers from all other states at Imphal, which was virtually addressed by PM Narendra Modi.
Sources said Biren is unmoved by the resignations as the five JD (U) MLAs, who switched over to BJP after the Assembly election results, are likely to back him in case of a trust vote or show of strength. A few MLAs of National People's Party (NPP) are also in Biren's favour, sources said. The NPP emerged as the second largest party by winning seven seats in the 2022 elections. Congress won only five seats.