After nearly two years of ethnic violence and political unrest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to set foot in Manipur next week, marking his first visit to the conflict-torn state since 2022. But ahead of his much-anticipated trip, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has suffered a political jolt with three influential leaders resigning and joining the opposition Congress.
On Monday, two former BJP legislators, Y. Surchandra Singh and L. Radhakishore Singh, along with senior party leader Uttamkumar Ningthoujam, formally switched sides in New Delhi. The Congress welcomed them at the All India Congress Committee headquarters, with party observer Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka and Manipur Congress president K. Meghachandra Singh leading the induction ceremony.
The Congress claims the defections reflect growing discontent against the BJP in Manipur, where residents have endured nearly continuous turmoil since May 2023. That month, clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities erupted, spiraling into one of India’s deadliest ethnic conflicts in recent memory. Hundreds have died, thousands have been displaced, and repeated attempts at peace have failed to quell the violence.
Mounting pressure forced Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh to resign on February 9 this year, and President’s Rule was imposed just days later. Opposition parties have repeatedly demanded that Prime Minister Modi visit the state to witness the devastation firsthand, but until now he has refrained from traveling to Manipur. His last visit was on February 22, 2022.
According to reports, Modi is scheduled to visit Mizoram on September 13 to inaugurate a new railway line. From there, he is expected to travel to Manipur, with possible public rallies planned in Imphal and the violence-hit district of Churachandpur. However, no official itinerary has been released, and the Prime Minister’s Office has not confirmed the details.
Meanwhile, speculation is mounting that a new government could be formed in Manipur under central supervision, though those discussions remain unverified. The timing of the BJP leaders’ defection to Congress has fueled political intrigue, with critics arguing that the ruling party is losing grip over the troubled state.
For the Congress, the defections provide both momentum and optics, signaling that Modi’s upcoming visit may not be enough to blunt anti-incumbency sentiment. “The exodus of BJP leaders shows how deeply people resent the party’s failure to restore peace,” said one Congress spokesperson.
As Modi prepares for his first Manipur visit in over two years, he faces a dual challenge—reassuring the people of the state that peace and stability will return, while also containing the political damage of losing influential allies to the opposition.
