Manipur CM Biren Singh, other BJP leaders in Delhi to sort out differences

A senior BJP leader from the Northeast said that despite speculations there is no likelihood of changing the chief minister.

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh landed in New Delhi on Wednesday to consult senior BJP leaders as dissent threatens to rock his government.

Public works minister Th Biswajit Singh and a few other leaders are also in the national capital to sort out differences,

Sources said Biren Singh and Biswajit Singh briefly met BJP working president JP Nadda as well as general secretary organisation BL Santhosh to iron out their differences which has been brewing for a while. The leaders will again meet Nadda Thursday morning.

While the leaders camped at the BJP headquarters for an appointment with president Amit Shah for hours, there were unable to meet him. Chief minister Singh has also sought an appointment with Prime Mister Narendra Modi.

A senior BJP leader from the Northeast said that the meeting is to find a solution to the differences but despite speculations there is no likelihood of changing the chief minister. He said Biswajit could be made a deputy CM, too.

Sources said that Biswajit has been in the capital for a few days, prompting the chief minister to come to Delhi to insist on a solution before the differences snowball into a major showdown.

The differences between the chief minister and Biswajit have continued for a while. In July, senior leaders from the state led by Biswajit Singh and deputy chief minister Y Joykumar of the National People’s Party, the BJP’s ally in Manipur, went public with their differences. Both Biswajit and Joykumar have the support of several BJP MLAs.

In retaliation, chief minister Singh carried out a cabinet reshuffle where portfolios of both Biswajit and Joykumar were changed.