On Monday, January 27, 2025, Hareshwar Goshwami, the vice-president of the Manipur Congress, submitted disqualification petitions against four MLAs of the National People’s Party (NPP).
The petitions were submitted to the Speaker’s Tribunal of the 60-member Manipur Assembly.
“A disqualification was filed against each of the four NPP legislators for their support of the BJP-led government in Manipur, despite the NPP’s national president Conrad K. Sangma and the parent unit of the party withdrawing their support,” N. Bupenda Meitei, a High Court of Manipur advocate, informed presspersons on behalf of Mr. Goshwami.
Additionally, Mr. Sangma serves as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya.
Thongam Shanti Singh (Moirang seat), Irengbam Nalini Devi (Oinam), and Janghemlung Panmei (Tamenglong) are the four NPP legislators. Mayanglambam Rameshwar Singh represents the Kakching constituency.
Mr. Meitei expressed his expectation that the Speaker, Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, would expedite the disposition of the disqualification petitions, citing a Supreme Court directive to determine them within three months of filing.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, the NPP secured six seats. In November 2024, the party withdrew its support from the Nongthombam Biren Singh government as a result of the failure to resolve the crisis that had evolved as a result of the ethnic conflict in Manipur since May 2023.
