Context: Kuki-Zo tribal groups said that they had resolved to join the popular government in Manipur, provided the Union and the State governments give a written commitment to support the negotiated political settlement for a Union Territory with legislature under the Constitution.
- At a meeting attended by the United People’s Front and Kuki National Organisation (KNO), the Kuki-Zo insurgent groups in Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact with the government, five MLAs and two representatives of the Kuki-Zo Council, a civil society group, in Guwahati on Tuesday, it was resolved that the “commitment must be executed in a time-bound manner, specifically within the current Assembly tenure”, which ends in February 2027.
- The resolution passed by the tribal bodies on Tuesday assumes significance as this is the first time the tribal bodies have agreed to join the State government since ethnic violence between the Kuki-Zo and the Meitei people erupted on May 3, 2023. Post-violence, the SoO groups and the MLAs demanded a separate administration for the Kuki-Zo people.
- Manipur was placed under President’s Rule on February 13, 2025 and the 60-member Assembly which has 37 MLAs from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is under suspended animation.
- The Hindu reported on January 7 that as the President’s Rule in Manipur completes a year on February 13, hectic parleys are on by the Union government to restore the popular government in Manipur. In all, there are 10 Kuki-Zo MLAs in the Assembly, including seven from the BJP, and their participation is key if elected government is restored.
Source: The Hindu