Kuki-Zo MLAs, civil society organisations and suspension of operation groups from Manipur will hold a joint meeting in Guwahati on May 16 to discuss, among others, the formation of a “popular government” in the strife-hit state.

A decision to this effect was taken on Tuesday at the first meeting of the Kuki-Zo Council’s (KZC) governing council at Rengkai in Churchandpur.

Delegates representing various tribes and civil society organisations (CSOs) from different districts “came together to deliberate on key issues concerning the community and its collective political future”.

One of the four resolutions adopted at the KZC meeting, presided over by Ch. Ajang Khongsai, chief coordinator of the Kuki-Zo Governing Council, dealt with the issue of formation of a popular government in the state.

The resolution said: “Regarding the formation of the popular government of Manipur, after much deliberation, it was resolved that the collective opinions of the council should be conveyed and discussed during the upcoming meeting with the MLAs and the Suspension of Operation (SoO) groups, scheduled for May 16, 2025, in Guwahati.”

Manipur is currently under President’s Rule and the state Assembly kept in suspended animation.

In a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah on April 29, 21 MLAs from the NDA bloc said the installation of a popular government was the only wayto bring peace and normalcy in Manipur. They had also flagged their fear regarding the recurrence of violence because many CSOs were openly criticising the imposition of President’s Rule.

A KZC official told The Telegraph that the Guwahati meeting was being hosted by the Kuki-Zo MLAs to discuss the issue of installing a popular government “because opinion was divided at the KZC governing council meeting”.

There are ten Kuki-Zo MLAs in the state. They were the first to flag the demand of a separate administration a few days after ethnic conflict broke out.