How N Biren Singh lifted 139-day-long Naga blockade in Manipur

NEW DELHI: How did BJP's first CM in Manipur N Biren Singh ensure that one of the biggest poll promises his party made could be fulfilled days after he took over.

The new CM had made up his mind to deal with the issue as first thing after taking office. He was averse to initially make any show of force.

Biren Singh made his peace move at the very first public address after becoming CM. He promised the Naga people from the hills as well as the Meitei people in the plains — the basic divide in the state — that his government would focus on equal development. He assured Naga groups of holding one of his initial cabinet meetings in the hills (Naga areas).

Singh called out to the United Naga Council (UNC), the apex body of the Nagas in the state, and also threatened to deploy 172 companies of CRPF and 22 battalions of Assam Rifles if they didn't lift the blockade. On the other hand, he said he would prefer if the UNC agreed to talks .

Without wasting any time, Biren Singh sat for negotiations and agreed to unconditionally release UNC president Gaidon Kamei and its publicity secretary Stephen
Lamkang, who were arrested for their alleged role in violence during the blockade, and also close all cases against the Naga leaders.