The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed Tarun Chugh, the party's National General Secretary, as the central observer for the election of the legislature party leader in Manipur. This decision, made by the BJP Parliamentary Board on Monday, signals a potential move towards forming a new government in the northeastern state. The appointment comes as the current spell of President's rule in Manipur is set to expire next week.

The announcement has been interpreted as a sign that the BJP is preparing to reinstate an elected government in Manipur. Manipur has been under President's rule since February 13, 2025, following months of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities. The central rule was imposed after the BJP-led government, headed by Biren Singh, resigned on February 9, 2025. The 60-member state assembly, whose tenure lasts until 2027, was put under suspended animation.

According to a statement by party National General Secretary Arun Singh, the BJP Parliamentary Board has appointed Tarun Chugh as the Central Observer for the election of the Legislature Party Leader in Manipur.

Adding to the indications of a possible government formation, NDA MLAs from Manipur arrived in the national capital after being summoned by the BJP central leadership, reportedly to discuss the formation of a government in the state. Senior leaders and legislators from the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), along with BJP's Manipur unit chief, arrived in New Delhi on Sunday to attend a high-level meeting scheduled for Monday. Among those present were BJP state president A Sharda Devi, former Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh, and former minister Y Khemchand Singh.

The political situation in Manipur has been tense since ethnic clashes erupted in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities, resulting in at least 260 deaths and the displacement of more than 59,000 people. There were periodic upticks in violence in 2024 and 2025.

The BJP legislature party meeting is expected to take place on Tuesday, though the location is not yet known. The appointment of the central observer and the summoning of MLAs to Delhi suggest that the BJP is actively working towards establishing a new government in Manipur before the President's rule expires.