Removed for speaking of Manipur integrity: Joykumar

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 23: Close on the heels of the appointment a new president of NPP Manipur unit, its former president Y Joykumar has stated that he was removed from the post  of the party’s State unit president for speaking of Manipur integrity and against the demand for Separate Administration.
Speaking to media persons at the Naoremthong office of NPP Manipur unit, Joykumar recalled that a meeting of some political parties based in the North East region including  NPP was held at Delhi on November 4, 2025 with NPP National president Conrad K Sangma on merging the political parties and forming a new party called North East People’s Party.
On the previous day (November 3), Conrad Sangma came to Manipur to attend the wedding ceremony of MLA Kh Loken’s son but he did not say anything about forming a new political party or the meeting held at Delhi, Joykumar said.
“I have been thinking as to why not a single NPP representative from Manipur  was allowed to take part in the Delhi meeting’, he said.
There are reports that the meeting held at Delhi with Conrad Sangma in the chair talked about forming a united political party for tribal communities of the North East region.
It evokes a question whether the Meitei community will be excluded from the proposed political party, Joykumar said.
A nine-member committee of the proposed political party headed by James Sangma invited NPP Manipur to Shillong to share its opinion on the proposed political party.
In response, then NPP Manipur president Y Joykumar, general secretary L Jayananda, H Russel, U Ramesh and Kakching AC MLA M Rameshwar went to Shillong.
At a meeting held with the nine-member committee at Shillong on November 21, the representatives of NPP Manipur asked the position of the proposed party on the issue of Manipur’s integrity, the Kukis’ demand for Separate Administration and the issue of greater Nagaland/South Nagaland.
The NPP Manipur representatives categorically asked the committee members of the proposed political party whether it will uphold NPP’s earlier position of safeguarding Manipur’s integrity, not conceding to the demand for Separate Administration and rejecting the demand for a Greater Nagalim.
They also questioned the proposed party’s commitment to work for granting 6th Schedule to the tribal communities of the North East region, according to Joykumar.
They further asked whether the new party will stick to the NPP's earlier position as declared in the 2022 election manifesto of demanding Scheduled Tribe status for the Meitei community in the Constitution of India.
 When the NPP Manipur representatives suggested that the new political party  should not be a common platform for tribal communities alone but it should be a common platform for all indigenous communities of the North East region, the committee members said that the suggestion shall be considered, Joykumar told media persons.
The NPP Manipur representatives further appealed to the committee members to study the political dynamics of Manipur thoroughly.
To all the questions, suggestions and appeals made by the NPP Manipur representatives, the committee members only said they would look into them but they did not give any concrete reply, Joykumar said.
He said that the reason for removing him from the post of NPP Manipur president might be of what he said in the interest of Manipur at the particular meeting with the committee of the proposed political party.
He said that NPP was established in Manipur in 1987  by one Nongthombam Ibomcha, better known as Tera Laimu before it was adopted and revived by PA Sangma in 2013.
On being asked by the media persons whether he and other former office bearers will remain in NPP or not, Joykumar said that they will not take any decision in haste but all stakeholders including intending candidates, party sympathisers, and workers will be consulted first.
At one instance earlier when the issue delimitation was discussed with UNC representatives, Conrad Sangma requested Meiteis present at the meeting to leave the room, Joykumar said.
Dr Lorho S Pfoze who has been appointed NPP Manipur president was also present at the meeting, he said.