The northeastern state of Manipur has been witnessing violence since May 3. BJP Rajya Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb, who is a former chief minister of Tripura – another northeastern state – believes peace will return to the state very soon due to the measures taken by Union home minister Amit Shah. In an interview with Kumar Shakti Shekhar, Deb, who is the BJP leader in-charge of Haryana, also spoke about the party’s chances of victory in the next year’s assembly election. Deb, 51, was the first BJP CM of Tripura (March 9, 2018 to May 15, 2022) after the party defeated CPM which had ruled the state for 25 consecutive years from 1993. Edited excerpts.
What do you think is the reason behind the violence not ending in Manipur for close to two months now?
