Biren meets Shah amid audio clip row

Amid a deepening political crisis in strife-torn Manipur, embattled Chief Minister N Biren Singh met Home Minister Amit Shah today.

The Chief Minister, along with his Cabinet ministers, later visited Prayagraj and took a hold dip during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, indicating that his position is safe for the time being.

Though the details of the meeting could not be known, sources said the meeting took place between Shah and Singh in the backdrop of the CJI Sanjiv Khanna-led Bench seeking a forensic report on a purported audio clip of Biren Singh, in which he is reportedly claiming responsibility for the ethnic violence in the state.

While a section of the BJP MLAs is reportedly learnt to be against Singh and has been seeking a change in the leadership, the party high command has so far gone along with Singh despite the state facing ethnic violence for almost two years and the Chief Minister’s role having come in for heavy criticism.

The controversy over the purported audio clip, which several Kuki tribal groups have claimed to be that of Singh, has again fuelled the demand from within the BJP for his ouster. However, hours after meeting Shah, Singh looked visibly relaxed in Prayagraj, indicating that the possibility of a change in leadership looks remote for now.