Manipur Gov holds meeting ahead of Modi visit

Amid the heightened preparations for the anticipated visit by a VVIP, widely speculated to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Sunday convened a crucial meeting with BJP legislators and leaders of the state unit of the party at Imphal Raj Bhavan.
Former chief minister N Biren Singh, Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata of Manipur Legislative Assembly (currently under suspended animation) were among the BJP legislators who turned attended the meeting that commenced at 11 am.
BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda Devi, state chief secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, security advisor Kuldiep Singh and DGP Rajiv Singh also attended the closed-door meeting which commenced at 11 am.
As many as 23 three BJP MLAs, including former chief minister N Biren Singh, attended the closed-door discussions which lasted about 40 minutes.
After the meeting, a legislator who did not wish to be named, hinted to the reporters that the meeting deliberated on the likely visit of the Prime Minister.
He said the Prime Minister will inaugurate several important projects, including the newly constructed Manipur police headquarters and civil secretariat in Imphal.
He said that the meeting primarily focused on ensuring the success of the scheduled visit of the Prime Minister and no discussion on the formation of an elected government in the state which is currently under President’s Rule.
On the other hand, after the meeting at Raj Bhavan, the BJP MLAs held a meeting at an undisclosed location and the same was going on till the time of filing this report.
The BJP Manipur Pradesh has also convened a meeting of all its MLAs and leaders at its head office in Imphal tomorrow at 11 am.
The meeting will deliberate on the visit of the Prime Ministers and chalk out the strategies in which the party cooperates with the state administration in ensuring a successful visit, the source said.
A source in the state BJP said that Modi’s visit to the state on September 13 has been confirmed while claiming that the party office at New Delhi has communicated the itinerary of the Prime Minister’s visit in the state.
From Aizawl, Modi will proceed by a helicopter to Churachandpur for a public event at the Peace Ground before noon on September 13 to attend a public event at Churachandpur Peace Ground.
It would be followed by an interaction with IDPs before proceeding to Imphal, where he will deliver a public address at the historic Kangla fort. He will arrive in Imphal around 1.30 pm and is scheduled to depart from Imphal at around 2.30 pm.
Notably, hectic preparations were being made in Imphal as well as in Churachandpur for the proposed visit of a VVIP. However, the state authorities were yet to name the VVIP to be visited and the date on which the VVIP would be arriving.
In the latest official communication to the media houses in Imphal, the state DIPR stated “likely visit of VVIP to Manipur” while asking to furnish names and details of the media persons who would cover the proposed high-profile visit.
“It is to inform that the directorate (DIPR) is to furnish the names and details of media persons who would be covering the event to be held during likely visit of VVIP to Manipur to the home department, Government of Manipur in advance for obtaining the security passes,” the DIPR communication read.