Manipur govt doing its best to control situation, says BJP ally NPF

Imphal, Nov 18 (IANS) The Naga Peoples' Front (NPF), an old ally of the BJP-led government in Manipur, on Monday praised the state government led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and said that the government is doing its best to control the situation.

NPF’s Manipur unit President Awangbow Newmai asserted that the state government is doing its best to control the situation since the ethnic strife began in Manipur in May last year.

The decision of the NPF, which has five MLAs in the 60-member Manipur assembly, is significant a day after the National People's Party (NPP) with seven MLAs withdrew its support from the BJP-led government.

Newmai, who along with another NPF MLA Khashim Vashum are cabinet ministers in the 12-member council of ministry headed by Chief Minister Singh, said that “some miscreants were also killed in Jiribam” after they attacked the security forces on November 11.

“The government and the law enforcing agencies have tried their best to rescue the innocent three children and three women from the captivity of the militants, but unfortunately, the government could not save the lives of the six people. None can claim that the government did nothing to protect the lives and properties of the people,” the minister told the media, adding that the NPF is one of the oldest constituents of the NDA and at this juncture, there is no question of withdrawing support from the government.

“We have to work together to bring a solution to the ethnic crisis and to restore peace and normalcy for the all-round development of Manipur,” the NPF leader said.

The NPP led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma withdrew its support from the Biren Singh-led government on Sunday claiming that “the state government completely failed to resolve the crisis and restore normalcy” in the northeastern state.

The withdrawal of support by the NPP would not have any impact on the stability of the BJP-led government, as the saffron party enjoys an absolute majority with its 32 MLAs.

The BJP government also has the support of five MLAs of the NPF, six Janata Dal (United) and three independent legislators.

However, ever since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year, 10 tribal MLAs, including seven BJP legislators, have been boycotting the Assembly and demanding a separate administration or Union Territory for the tribals in Manipur.

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