Meitei, Kuki BJP MLAs Under One Roof In Delhi For 1st Time Since May 2023

Manipur's BJP MLAs from both the Meitei and Kuki communities met for the first time since May 2023 under one roof as they held talks with the party leadership in Delhi on Sunday.

The meeting led to speculation about government formation in the border state, which has been under the President's rule since February.

President Droupadi Murmu, during her two-day visit to Manipur last week, spoke about how "the hills and valley have always complemented each other", and called for peace and reconciliation - the Meitei community is dominant in the valley region, while the Kuki tribes live in some districts categorised as hill areas.

The coming together of the BJP MLAs under one roof, ethnicity no bar, is being seen as an acknowledgement of the President's message.

Sunday's meeting of the BJP MLAs in Delhi happened after a section of BJP MLAs in Manipur asked the party leadership to take a call on forming the government. The President's rule was extended for six more months till February 2026. Any more extension would need parliamentary or the Election Commission's approval.

BJP national general secretary BL Santosh in a post on X said the meeting was "fruitful" and peace and development in Manipur were discussed.

"Held BJP Manipur legislature Party meeting today. It was a very fruitful exercise where peace and development of the state was discussed. Everyone resolved to strive hard to bring back normalcy in the state & get the developmental work going at full steam," Santosh said.

Held @BJP4Manipur legislature Party meeting today . It was a very fruitful exercise where Peace & Development of the State was discussed .
Everyone resolved to strive hard to bring back normalcy in the state & get the developmental work going at full steam . pic.twitter.com/F1ROZFlv18

— B L Santhosh (@blsanthosh) December 14, 2025

The party's northeast incharge Sambit Patra and Santosh visited Manipur in November and held talks with state leaders.

Sunday's meeting worked as an ice-breaker for the BJP MLAs from the Meitei and Kuki communities, sources said.

'Selfless Gesture Of Leadership'

Earlier, the seven BJP MLAs from the Kuki community had stood with the demand of a separate administration. The coming together of the MLAs, however, indicate they have climbed down from that demand for the welfare of all communities in the state in a selfless gesture of leadership -- against some serious odds and hostile comments from a few armed groups who claim to represent the Kuki tribes.

These militant groups have only one insurance in the form of the suspension of operations (SoO) agreement, but it is not a free pass for carrying out destabilising acts, and the ground rules definitely does not allow elected persons to be threatened.

A section of Kuki leaders and Kuki civil society organisations that work in tandem with these 24 militant groups that are in talks with the government want to divide Manipur to set up their own land, or a "separate administration".

Manipur BJP spokesperson and Michael Lamjathang Thadou, in a post on X, shared a message of stability and peace, alluding to President Murmu's well-meaning suggestions for the people of Manipur.

'Renewed Cooperation'

"The Kuki-Meitei conflict in Manipur has officially come to an end today in New Delhi, with Kuki, Zomi, Hmar and Meitei MLAs coming together… All parties have reaffirmed their unity as members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly for the 2022-27 term, marking a reconciliation and renewed cooperation. Congratulations," said Michael Thadou, who's also a youth leader of the Thadou tribe, one of the recognised distinct tribes in Manipur's ST list. The Thadou tribe organisation led by Michael Thadou has alleged the 'Any Kuki Tribes' category re-added to the ST list in 2003 is at the root of the Manipur crisis.

Michael Lamjathang Thadou's post on X on the huge development

At the Delhi meeting, the party leadership sought the help of their state leaders in sustaining peace and formation of a new government.

More than 260 people have been killed and thousands left homeless in the ethnic violence.