4 min readNew DelhiFeb 7, 2026 06:24 AM IST
First published on: Feb 6, 2026 at 07:43 PM IST
The recent violence in the hills of Manipur over the formation of a popular government in the state, the virtual presence of Kuki MLAs during a floor test in the Assembly on Thursday, and warnings from Kuki-Zo civil society organisations have cast a shadow over re-establishing an elected administration in the state. However, New Delhi perceives these as teething troubles in a political space still fraught with ethnic sentiments.
The assessment in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is that the protests in the hills by civil society groups are more posturing than an actual declaration of prolonged non-cooperation with the newly formed government. Officials appear confident that the situation will likely settle down in the next few days.
“The sporadic violence and protests that we are witnessing were expected. Kuki groups had publicly declared that their MLAs would not join the government until a written assurance from the Centre that their demand for a separate administration would materialise before the tenure of the current Assembly ends. However, no such written assurance has been given and yet their MLAs have joined the government. If they do not protest, they will lose face before their people,” said an MHA official.
Sources said the Kuki MLAs who had joined the government did so after a green signal from the Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and the United People’s Front, the two umbrella Kuki militant organisations in the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with the Centre. These two organisations are in talks with the government to thrash out a political solution for the hill tribes of Manipur.
“Both organisations agreed to government formation way back in September 2025. The Deputy CM, Nemcha Kipgen, is the wife of a key UPF leader. So, Kuki MLAs have joined the government with the agreement of the KNO and the UPF. But they have built a public sentiment around ‘non-negotiable’ separate administration demand and, hence, the protests,” said another official.
All the statements criticising the Kuki MLAs who have joined the government have come from outfits such as the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) and Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) and not the KNO and the UPF.
Why Deputy CM choice is important
Sources said government formation details had been carefully arrived at during weeks-long talks. Even the choice of Nemcha Kipgen was informed not just by her seniority among Kuki MLAs but also by the Kangpokpi constituency she represents. The region has been a flashpoint since the onset of violence in the state, with Kuki organisations often blocking the movement of goods and people on the key highway connecting the Imphal Valley with mainland India. The appointment of an MLA from the region as Deputy CM was expected to ease tensions and keep the highway open, sources said.
“Meanwhile, a dialogue is on with all stakeholders and Kuki groups have been assured that their concerns, including their demand for a separate administration, will be addressed. They have been made to understand that none of this can happen by setting a deadline for New Delhi, nor can the state’s territorial integrity be compromised. In fact, the latter is part of the SoO agreement that the militant organisations have signed,” said an MHA official.
The Union government hopes that once the state government begins to function, all sections of society will begin to engage with it since there has been a political vacuum for so long, sources said.