Following the recent incessant rainfall that caused waterlogging and a major breach in the Imphal River's embankment at four points—leading to severe flooding in Imphal East—Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met with Manipur leadership
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with party leader and LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi during a meeting with party leaders from Manipur, in New Delhi. Pic/PTI
Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi met with the Manipur leadership on Thursday at Indira Bhawan in New Delhi. Congress MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam and KC Venugopal, General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, were also present, according to news agency ANI.
On its official X handle, Congress stated, "Congress President Kharge today convened a meeting with the Manipur leadership, wherein LoP Rahul Gandhi and Congress General Secretary (Org) KC Venugopal attended."
Recently, the state has witnessed incessant rainfall that led to waterlogging at several places, prompting authorities to launch rescue operations. The torrential rains caused a massive breach in the Imphal River's embankment at four points, leading to extensive flooding in Imphal East.
Congress General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal, who was also present at the meeting held at the new AICC headquarters at Indira Bhawan, said Manipur requires a political solution soon to restore normalcy at the earliest. The party's in-charge for Manipur, Saptagiri Ulaka, PCC president Keisham Meghachandra Singh, and other state leaders were also present.
In a recent development, nearly 25 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs met at the residence of party MLA Thongam Biswajit Singh in Imphal to push for the formation of a popular government in Manipur. On May 28, around 10 MLAs—including eight from the BJP, one from the National People's Party (NPP), and one Independent MLA—met Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal to stake a claim to form the government.
According to ANI, these ten MLAs demanded the formation of a "popular" government in the ethnic violence-hit state.
Meanwhile, President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, days after BJP leader N. Biren Singh resigned as Chief Minister. The ethnic conflict erupted on May 3, 2023, causing the deaths of hundreds of people.
This decision, exercised under Article 356 of the Constitution, means the state's administrative functions are now directly controlled by the President through the Governor.
The unrest in Manipur primarily involved clashes between the majority Meitei community and the minority Kuki-Zomi tribes. Tensions escalated over disputes related to economic benefits, job quotas, and land rights. The violence resulted in hundreds of fatalities and displaced approximately 60,000 individuals.
(With inputs from ANI)
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