Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Sunday handed over his letter of resignation to state Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal.
Singh was accompanied by 14 MLAs belonging to the BJP and NPF including State BJP president A Sharda and senior BJP leader Sambit Patra.
His resignation comes two years after the state struggled with ethnic violence that led to widespread casualties.
Biren Singh, in his letter, requested the Central government to continue with several development works in the state. He further requested the central government "to maintain the the territorial integrity of Manipur" and "to crack down on border infiltration and to formulate policy for the deportation of the illegal immigrants."
Signh's resignation comes hours after he returned from Delhi.
On Saturday, he convened a meeting with BJP-led ruling alliance MLAs at the CM Secretariat in connection with the upcoming assembly session beginning February 10. The meeting was held in the wake of the opposition Congress seeking to move a no-confidence motion against the government led by Singh.
The violence in Manipur has largely been fueled by tensions between the Meitei community, based in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribes in the surrounding hilly regions. What began as localized clashes in May 2023 escalated in 2024, spreading to previously peaceful areas like Jiribam district, near Assam.
In June, the discovery of a man's body in Jiribam triggered a fresh wave of violence, leading to widespread arson, gunfights, and the displacement of over 1,000 people.
