How growing discontent shaped move

N Biren Singh stepped down as the chief minister of Manipur on Sunday, nearly two years after ethnic violence broke out in the state that has since claimed more than 250 lives, setting the stage for a change of guard in the northeastern state amid rumblings within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and threats of a no-confidence motion by the opposition Congress.

- Prawesh Lama and Smriti Kak Ramachandran

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NEW DELHI:

Governor Ajay Bhalla accepted Singh's resignation, but urged him to continue in the post until alternative arrangements are made, a statement said. Late in the evening, Bhalla declared the 7th session of Legislative Assembly, which was to commence from Monday, "null and void".

Speculation over what prompted Singh's decision, however, continued to run rife, even as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge described the resignation as "shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted".

State BJP leaders suggested that Singh continuing in the post could have been embarrassing for the party during the assembly session.

"Had the CM not tendered his resignation it would have been embarrassing for the party on Monday when the assembly session was set to begin. The Congress's Manipur leaders had already announced they would demand no confidence motion against him," a BJP leader said, requesting anonymity.

Separately, at least five BJP MLAs had announced plans to sit in the opposition and all of this was communicated to the central leadership of the BJP.