Yumnam Khemchand Singh Set to Be Manipur CM
Central observer Tarun Chugh felicitated Singh with a traditional patka in Delhi, with BJP Manipur State President and Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra present at the event.
Guwahati: After a long deliberation with central party leaders, the BJP legislature party on Tuesday elected Y Khemchand Singh as the leader of the BJP legislature party in Manipur. Sources said that the swearing in ceremony of the new government will take place in Imphal on Wednesday.
Informing that the ministry of home affairs has given go ahead for formation of the government by revoking the President’s rule, sources in the party said that Mr Khemchand’s name for leadership was proposed after the consultation of the central party leaders with Kuki MLAs too. Former chief minister N Biren Singh proposed the name of Mr Khemchand for the leadership at the BJP legislature party meeting, sources said.
Mr Khemchand is a senior party leader who served as the speaker of the assembly and cabinet minister in N Biren Singh's cabinet. He has been elected in Manipur Legislative Assembly election in 2017 and 2022 from Singjamei constituency. He recently took a lead in visiting Kuki villages while appealing for restoring harmony among the communities. He is from the Meitei community.
Pointing out that central leadership has decided to appoint two deputy chief ministers, one likely from Kuki community sources said that a meeting of legislators of all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance will be held later on Tuesday night, where Mr Singh's name is expected to be endorsed as the NDA legislature party leader.
BJP party sources said that Manipur BJP MLAs elected Mr Singh in a meeting which was also attended by the party's central observer Tarun Chugh and its northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, among others.
It is significant that Manipur has been under President's rule since February 13, 2025. The 60-member Assembly was put on suspended animation after President's rule was imposed.
There are 37 BJP MLAs in Manipur. Initially, 32 BJP candidates had won the 2022 assembly elections. The JD(U) had won six seats, and five of its MLAs later defected to the BJP.
Among others, six are from the National People's Party, five from the Naga People's Front, five from the Congress, two from the Kuki People's Alliance, one from Janata Dal (United) and three Independents. One seat is vacant following the death of a sitting MLA.
Meanwhile, sources said that NPP and NPF would also be the part of the new government in the state. In this regard union home minister Amit Shah had a meeting with NPP chief and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sang and Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio recently in New Delhi wherein a consensus over restoring the Manipur government was built up.
Sources said that central party leadership has also taken the Kuki MLAs who were called for the meeting in New Delhi, in confidence over formation of the government.