Massive protests were witnessed on Friday in several Kuki-Zo areas against community MLAs for participating in the formation of the Manipur government.

Protests were staged in Churachandpur, Saikul in Kangpokpi district and Moreh in Tengnoupal district, among others. Effigies of three Kuki-Zo MLAs — Nemcha Kipgen, newly appointed deputy chief minister, Lalliang Mang Khaute and Ngursanglur Sanate — were burnt for their role in the government formation, a move opposed by the Kuki-Zo community. Security has been increased at their respective residences.

A Kuki-Zo leader said there is anger and a “sense of betrayal” over the role of the three BJP Kuki-Zo MLAs in the government formation as it has “diluted” their collective demand for a separate administration and the sacrifice of those killed and displaced in the ongoing conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos, which erupted on
May 3, 2023.

In Saikul, protesters carried placards that read, “Traitors down down”; “We buried the dead while you guarded your chairs”; “Popular government is not the solution”; and “No SA, no peace”.

Organisations of Kangpokpi along with Church leaders met under the banner of COTU on Friday, reaffirming their earlier decision not to support the popular government. They also discussed maintaining buffer zones between Meitei and Kuki-Zo areas there has been no solution to their demand of separate administration.

The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) thanked the community’s people across all Kuki-Zo-inhabited areas of Manipur for staging “massive and peaceful public rallies” on Friday.

There are ten Kuki-Zo MLAs, of whom seven are from the ruling BJP. Y. Khemchand Singh was sworn in as the chief minister on February 4, succeeding N. Biren Singh, who had resigned on February 9, following which President’s Rule was imposed on February 13 last year. Central rule was lifted hours before Khemchand was sworn in.

Nemcha Kipgen took her oath virtually from Manipur Bhawan in Delhi. However, there has been no protest in her constituency, sources said.

Amid the protests, newly elected chief minister Y. Khemchand Singh held his second cabinet meeting on Friday and also joined the livestream of the ninth edition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026 event at Wangkhei High School, Imphal.