Manipur Politics: Security Debate Intensifies as New PRP Enters 2027 Election Race

After the meeting, Biren Singh called for the identification and verification of cadres covered under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement and groups involved in peace talks. He also suggested bringing SoO cadres to designated camps and securing their weapons.

These were proposals made by the former chief minister and should not be treated as established findings about the involvement of any particular group in recent violence. Biren Singh also called for measures to accelerate the resettlement of internally displaced people and raised issues concerning NRC implementation and illegal immigration.

BJP-Led Government Continues After President’s Rule

Manipur returned to elected government in February 2026 after President’s Rule was revoked.

President’s Rule had been imposed on February 13, 2025, following the resignation of N. Biren Singh. On February 4, 2026, the Union government revoked President’s Rule and BJP MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh was sworn in as Chief Minister. The Manipur Assembly, whose term runs into 2027, returned to active functioning.

The restoration of an elected government has placed responsibility for security, rehabilitation and governance directly on the state administration as Manipur approaches the next Assembly election. (opens in a new tab)

Congress Continues to Question Government's Handling of Crisis

Congress has continued to raise questions about the state government's handling of law and order and the broader conflict.

Manipur Congress leaders have criticised the BJP-led administration and the Centre over the continuing security situation. Such statements represent the opposition party's political position and should be distinguished from independently established findings regarding responsibility for individual incidents.

The Congress organisation is also preparing for the 2027 electoral contest as political parties (opens in a new tab)begin strengthening their structures and public outreach.

Official Figures Show Continuing Human Cost

The continuing impact of the conflict was highlighted during the September Assembly session.

Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam informed the Assembly that 306 people had been killed and 49 remained missing in the violence since May 3, 2023, with the figures recorded up to August 31, 2026.

The figures underline the continuing humanitarian and security challenges facing the state government.

Rehabilitation of Internally Displaced People Remains a Major Issue

The rehabilitation and return of internally displaced people remain important issues in Manipur politics.

N. Biren Singh raised the need to accelerate resettlement during his September 24 meeting with the Governor. The return of displaced families depends on security conditions, restoration of homes and infrastructure, and the broader political and security situation.

For political parties preparing for 2027, rehabilitation and restoration of normal economic and social activity are therefore likely to remain significant issues.

Census and NRC Debate Continues

The Census 2027 process has also become an important political issue in Manipur.

The Centre formally deferred the house-listing phase of Census 2027 in Manipur following demands from civil society groups that an NRC exercise should be undertaken first. The decision followed a high-level meeting involving Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh.

The NRC issue is politically contested. Several groups in the Imphal Valley have demanded an NRC exercise, while other communities and organisations have raised concerns about the implications of such a process. The debate is closely connected to questions of identity, migration, documentation and future demographic representation.

People’s Reformation Party Enters Manipur Politics

A major new development ahead of the 2027 election is the formal launch of the People’s Reformation Party (PRP).

The party was formally launched in Imphal on September 24, with businessman Andy Mangsatabam serving as its founding president. The PRP describes itself as a local political party focused specifically on Manipur rather than expanding into other states.

The party is currently registered with the Election Commission of India as a Registered Unrecognised Political Party (RUPP) and has not previously contested an election. The 2027 Manipur Assembly election will therefore be its first electoral contest.

Mangsatabam said the party was formed to bring a new generation of leaders into the Assembly and to develop what he described as local political solutions to Manipur's problems.

PRP Plans to Contest 40 Assembly Seats

The PRP has announced plans to field candidates in 40 of Manipur's 60 Assembly constituencies in the 2027 election.

Reports on the party's launch indicate that its proposed candidates will undergo a scrutiny and due-diligence process. The party has also spoken about political funding transparency and limiting campaign expenditure in accordance with Election Commission rules.

The party's manifesto focuses on issues including peace, public order, territorial integrity, human security, welfare of internally displaced people and greater participation of young people in politics.

The PRP has positioned itself as a Manipur-rooted political organisation and has said it does not intend to expand into other states.

PRP Puts Negotiations at Centre of Peace Approach

Peace and negotiations form a central part of the PRP's political message.

Mangsatabam said the party believes the continuing crisis requires dialogue between the different sides. The PRP has presented “Peace, Progress and Prosperity” as its central theme.

The party has also spoken about long-term economic development, improved governance and increasing Manipur's per-capita income. Its leadership has linked its development vision with the broader Viksit Bharat 2047 framework.

The PRP's entry means the 2027 political debate will include another regional platform alongside the established national and regional parties operating in the state.

PRP Seeks Local Political Cooperation in Northeast

The PRP has also proposed cooperation among genuinely local political parties across the Northeast while maintaining separate party identities.

Mangsatabam compared the proposed cooperation with ASEAN, suggesting that regional parties could coordinate on common issues while remaining independent organisations.

The proposal reflects the party's stated emphasis on local political decision-making rather than a conventional expansion into other states.

Current Assembly Strength and Political Landscape

The current Manipur Assembly includes BJP, NPP, Congress, Naga People's Front, Kuki People's Alliance, JD(U) and Independent members.

The official Manipur Legislative Assembly's current digital records list 36 BJP members, 6 NPP members, 5 Congress members, 5 NPF members, 3 Independents, 2 KPA members and 1 JD(U) member.

The figures show the BJP as the largest party in the current House, while several other parties maintain representation. With a new regional party now preparing for the 2027 election, the political field is becoming more diverse.

Security, Peace and Governance Likely to Dominate 2027 Debate

Manipur's political debate ahead of the 2027 election (opens in a new tab) is likely to remain closely connected to the security situation and the unresolved consequences of the conflict that began in 2023.

The BJP-led government under Yumnam Khemchand Singh is dealing with security and humanitarian challenges. Congress continues to question the government's approach, while N. Biren Singh has raised additional security concerns through his recent meeting with the Governor.

The PRP's launch introduces another political platform focused on local leadership, negotiations, governance, youth participation and rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, the Census and NRC debate has added another major issue involving identity, documentation and demographic questions.

Manipur Politics Moves Towards the 2027 Assembly Election

The formal entry of the People's Reformation Party marks another development in Manipur's preparations for the 2027 Assembly election.

With the PRP planning to contest up to 40 seats, established parties are likely to face competition from a new local political organisation seeking to build its electoral base.

At the same time, security, peace negotiations, rehabilitation of internally displaced people, governance, public order, the Census-NRC debate and political representation remain important issues.

As Manipur moves closer to the 2027 Assembly election, the political landscape will be shaped by how parties address these issues and present their respective programmes to voters.

“Manipur's political activity is intensifying ahead of the 2027 Assembly election as security, rehabilitation and governance remain major issues. The launch of the People's Reformation Party under Andy Mangsatabam adds a new local political force, with the party planning to contest up to 40 of the state's 60 Assembly constituencies.”

The INDIA bloc has announced a nationwide campaign over concerns related to the Election Commission and electoral processes. The Opposition plans protests, a march to the Election Commission headquarters, and a legal challenge to provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner Act, 2023.

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