N. Biren Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur, has tendered his resignation after nearly two years of persistent ethnic violence that has resulted in over 250 fatalities and displaced approximately 60,000 individuals. His resignation was submitted to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla ahead of a scheduled legislative assembly session where the opposition Congress party was anticipated to propose a no-confidence motion against him

The unrest, which began in May 2023, has been primarily between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki communities, centering on disputes over economic benefits and job reservations. Singh, a leader from the Meitei community and a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has faced mounting criticism for his handling of the crisis. Critics have accused him of bias towards his own community, exacerbating tensions.

In his resignation letter, Singh expressed gratitude to the central government for its support in safeguarding Manipur's interests. He emphasized the need for continued efforts to maintain the state's territorial integrity, curb border infiltration, and develop policies for deporting illegal immigrants. Singh and the federal government have partly attributed the violence to an influx of refugees from Myanmar following the 2021 military coup there.

Five days after the Supreme Court ordered a central forensics lab to report on audio tapes that were leaked and allegedly included Singh, who is said to have stated that the state's ethnic violence was started at his request, Singh resigned.

The resignation has led to discussions about the potential imposition of President's Rule in Manipur, as the state grapples with ongoing ethnic tensions and political instability