New Delhi: Veteran Congress leader P Chidambaram has criticised outgoing Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, stating that his resignation "should have come many months ago." He accused Singh of being responsible for the prolonged ethnic violence in the state and expressed hope that his exit would pave the way for peace.

"Mr Biren Singh has been the cause of the problem and its continuation for 21 months and is responsible for the conflicted people of Manipur," Chidambaram said. He also opined that if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) couldn't find a leader acceptable to all factions, then the sole option is to impose President' rule. "If the BJP can elect a leader who is acceptable to the ruling party, if they are not able to agree on it, there's no harm in the President's rule. Anyway, it is the central government's rule that runs in Manipur," he added.

Singh resigned on Sunday, submitting his letter to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhavan, nearly two years after violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki communities. He was accompanied by BJP state president A Sharda, North East in-charge Sambit Patra, and at least 19 MLAs.

The ethnic unrest in Manipur began on May 3, 2023, after a rally organised by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) in response to a High Court order directing the state to consider the inclusion of the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list. The conflict has since claimed over 250 lives and left thousands homeless.

Chidambaram also pointed out that Singh was once part of the Congress government in Manipur but later blamed his former party for the crisis. "When we were in the state, we brought about peace and development. Mr Biren Singh was part of the Congress government and he now turns around and says Congress government is the cause of this. He is the sole cause of the problem and I am glad he left," he remarked.

(With inputs from ANI)