Patra meets 29 BJP MLAs, speculations of political development grow

Imphal: Ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s proposed visit to Manipur this week,BJP northeast coordinator Sambit Patra on Wednesday held a meeting with Manipur BJP MLAs and BJP state unit office bearers, including president A Sharda Devi, adding to the growing speculations of a political development in the state.As many as 29 BJP MLAs, including former Manipur CM N Biren Singh and Manipur assembly speaker Th Satyabrata and Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba, among other BJP state unit leaders, took part in the meeting that started around 5pm at BJP office Thambal Sanglen.The meeting was convened within hours of the arrival of Patra and BJP Manipur in-charge Ajit Gopchade around 1.15pm on Wednesday. The two BJP leaders also visited the Raj Bhavan for a meeting with governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, but sources said the scheduled meeting was cancelled.BJP has as many as 37 MLAs, including seven from the Kuki-Zo community and five merged from the JDU. Only one MLA, S Kebi of Naoriya Pakhanglakpa constituency, besides the Kuki-Zo BJP MLAs was absent during the meeting with Patra.Sharda Devi, former CM Singh and other leaders have remained tight-lipped over what was discussed during the meeting.Responding to queries by the media, MLA RK Imo, son-in-law of former CM Singh, said the discussions were focussed on the visit of the PM and there were no discussions as such about reinstatement of a popular ministry in the state.After the meeting with BJP MLAs, Patra also held a meeting with MLAs of NDA partner NPP and NPF at Hotel Imphal.Meanwhile, the Coordination Committee (CorCom), a conglomerate of proscribed Manipur insurgent groups, has boycotted the PM’s proposed visit to Manipur. The organisation announced a statewide total shutdown on the day of the Prime Minister’s visit from 1am till the time the Prime Minister leaves Manipur.