GUWAHATI: Dissidence is brewing against Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh for his alleged "autocratic" style of functioning.
Some MLAs are camping in Delhi to meet the BJP's central leaders and express their grievances. Some of them were allegedly not given any responsibility despite being appointed in posts.
"We have come to Delhi on a mission," one of the MLAs told The New Indian Express on strict condition of anonymity.
It was not known exactly how many of them are camping in the national capital. Sources in Manipur put the numbers at 5 to 18.
"There are many," the BJP MLA replied when asked about their numbers.
The BJP suffered yet another setback on Monday when its MLA Karam Shyam resigned from the post of chairman of Tourism Corporation.
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"I tender my resignation from the post of chairman, Tourism Corporation Manipur Limited as I have not been assigned any responsibility...," Shyam wrote in his resignation letter to the CM.
Last week, another BJP MLA Thokchom Radheshyam Singh had resigned as advisor to the CM as he too was "never given a responsibility" since his appointment on December 31 last year. The 58-year-old Radheshyam is a retired decorated IPS officer.
In 2017, both Radheshyam and Shyam (he was then with LJP) were inducted into the ministry when the BJP had formed a coalition government. However, in 2020, the two of them and four others were dropped during a reshuffle of the cabinet. Shyam joined the BJP in 2021.
Neither he nor the CM answered phone calls from The New Indian Express. BJP's Manipur unit chief A Sharda Devi claimed the resignations would not harm the party in any manner.
"The government is running smoothly. These will not harm BJP. Such things happen in politics," Devi said.
Stating that she has no idea why the duo resigned from the posts, she said she would talk to them to understand their problem.
BJP legislator Rajkumar Imo Singh, who is the son-in-law of the CM, said, "Who doesn't want to be a CM or a Minister? Every MLA does, but there is a time, place and moment for all things... If one keeps sulking after every ministry reshuffle or government formation, democracy and government can never function properly."