Imphal/New Delhi, Feb. 10 -- N Biren Singh resigned as Manipur's chief minister on Sunday, hours after a meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah that followed days of discord within the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state unit and the threat of a no-confidence motion in the assembly, nearly 21 months after ethnic violence that has killed over 250 and displaced several thousands scorched the northeastern province.

Singh submitted his resignation to Manipur governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla in state capital Imphal around 5.30pm a day before the state assembly was scheduled to convene for the budget session, which was scrapped on Sunday evening.

"It has been an honour to serve the people of Manipur thus far. I am extremely grateful to the cen...