BJP leaders BL Santosh, Sambit Patra arrive in Imphal amid govt formation talk
Their arrival has generated intense political buzz, especially after former CM Biren Singh described the visit as ‘not an ordinary one’
Leaders BL Santosh and Sambit Patra at Imphal Airport, on Wednesday. (AT Photo)
Imphal, Nov 12: Amid mounting political speculation in Manipur, senior BJP leaders BL Santosh, the party’s National General Secretary (Organisation), and National Spokesperson Sambit Patra arrived in Imphal on Wednesday around 11:30 am.
The two leaders were received at Bir Tikendrajit International Airport by BJP Manipur President A. Sharda Devi, along with a large number of party functionaries and workers, marking a warm and enthusiastic welcome.
Their arrival has generated intense political buzz, especially after former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh described the visit as “not an ordinary one”.
Ex-Chief Minister Singh and other BJP MLAs have publicly stated that they were given assurances of government formation after the Bihar polls.
Singh, on November 9, Singh had noted that Santosh was visiting the state after a long gap, hinting that the party’s central leadership might be planning something significant for Manipur.
“After a long gap, a BJP national-level general secretary is visiting Manipur for a two-to three-day stay along with the party’s Northeast in-charge. In my opinion, this will not be an ordinary visit. Let’s hope for the best,” Singh had said.
The development comes shortly after the completion of the Bihar Assembly elections; a timeline that several BJP legislators in Manipur had earlier linked to the formation of a popular government in the state.
According to party sources, Santosh and Patra are also likely to visit Churachandpur during their two-day stay in Manipur; a move viewed as part of their broader effort to gauge the situation across districts.
Last time BJP MLAs visited Delhi around 25 BJP MLAs from Manipur held a detailed meeting with BL Santosh and Patra, reiterating their demand for the restoration of an elected government in the state.
With the Bihar elections now over, the arrival of the two central leaders in Imphal is being seen as a politically significant development.
They are expected to hold a series of closed-door meetings with state BJP leaders and key stakeholders to assess the current political situation.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, 2025, and growing anticipation suggests that the BJP central leadership may soon take a decisive call on restoring a popular government in the state.