The resignation of N Biren Singh as Chief Minister of Manipur on Sunday has left the state's political landscape in a flux. While his resignation was one of the key demands of Kuki-Zo leaders following the onset of the ethnic conflict in May 2023, community leaders believe it falls short of addressing deeper grievances and restoring accountability.

Ng Lun Kipgen, spokesperson of the Committee on Tribal Unity (COTU), stated that Biren Singh stepping down is merely symbolic and lacks tangible outcomes. According to Kipgen, the issue extends beyond Singh, reflecting a systemic failure of the state institution, which is seen as favoring the Meitei community and marginalizing Kuki-Zo groups. “It is not just the Chief Minister; none of the 40 MLAs from the Valley have stood against the atrocities on the Kuki-Zo community,” Kipgen noted.

Kipgen further argued that the resignation does little to repair the physical and political division between the Meitei-dominated Valley and the Kuki-Zo-populated hills. He reiterated the Kuki-Zo demand for a separate political administration, deeming it the only viable solution to safeguard their community.

The timing of the resignation has also drawn scrutiny, with Kipgen labeling it a politically choreographed move to avert the no-confidence motion that the BJP was set to face in the Assembly. The motion, coupled with looming Supreme Court hearings on audio tapes allegedly implicating Biren Singh in the conflict, left the Centre with little choice but to engineer his exit.

Kipgen criticized the Centre for attempting to absolve itself of responsibility by orchestrating Singh's resignation. He argued that this step only sidesteps meaningful accountability and exposes the BJP's inability to manage the escalating ethnic conflict.

As Manipur grapples with a political and humanitarian crisis, the resignation of Biren Singh may be seen as a tactical move, but the deeper issues of systemic bias, hatred, and lack of trust remain unresolved.