Two Kuki Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly physically attended the Assembly session in Imphal on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, marking the first time Kuki legislators have been present in the House since ethnic violence erupted in the state in May 2023.
The legislators who attended the session are Kimneo Haokip Hangshing, who represents the Saikul constituency for the Kuki Peoples Alliance, and Haokholet Kipgen, an independent legislator representing the Saitu seat. Both lawmakers represent constituencies situated within Kangpokpi district.
Legislative Return and Official Reception
The in-person attendance took place despite an official directive issued by the Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of the Kuki community, which had called for a complete boycott urging community legislators not to travel to Imphal until a formal political settlement on the demand for a separate administration is achieved. During the previous Budget session in February 2026, six Kuki-Zo MLAs had participated exclusively through virtual mode.
Upon entering the chamber, MLA Haokholet Kipgen stated that he was happy to come back to attend a session of the Assembly after a long time. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh formally welcomed the two legislators to the floor, describing their physical presence as a positive step toward fostering unity and peace in the state and a welcome step from people representatives.
The Manipur 60-member Assembly currently includes a total of nine Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar legislators. The ethnic conflict between Imphal Valley-based Meiteis and Kukis residing in the adjoining hill districts has resulted in over 260 deaths and displaced thousands of residents since May 2023, according to official state casualty records.
Boycott Directive and Political Context
The Kuki Inpi Manipur had issued its boycott instruction on August 31, 2026, arguing that attending the assembly would signal a false sense of normalcy and undermine the community demand for a separate administration. Wilson Hangshing, founder of the Kuki People's Alliance, previously asserted in September 2025 that peaceful coexistence is unfeasible under current conditions, stating that the state remains partitioned by military buffer zones.
The Kuki People's Alliance previously withdrew its political support from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Manipur government in August 2023. That withdrawal was attributed by party leadership to the perceived failure of the administration to address the 2023 ethnic violence, establishing a precedent of political disengagement by Kuki political organizations throughout the conflict.
Downstream Stakes for Regional Governance
For the Kuki-Zo community, the decision of these two MLAs to attend the session in defiance of the apex body boycott call signifies an internal divergence in political strategy. While some factions view the move as a tentative step toward re-engagement with state institutions, others interpret it as a challenge to the collective demand for a separate administration. For the Manipur government, the attendance is regarded as an indicator toward restoring political dialogue.
