Yumnam Khemchand Singh elected as BJP's legislative party leader, set to be next Manipur CM

New Delhi: After weeks of deliberations, as the President’s Rule is due to mark a year, the BJP on Tuesday announced two-time MLA Yumnam Khemchand Singh as the leader of the legislature party in strife-torn Manipur, naming him as the state’s next chief minister. The decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s MLAs at the BJP headquarters. Swearing-in will take place on Tuesday.

Singh will have two deputy CMs, one from the Kuki-Zo community and another from the Naga community. Kangpokpi MLA Nemcha Kipgen has been named one of the deputy CMs. The alliance partner Naga People’s Front is expected to name the Naga deputy CM soon. Govind Das, who has been a frontrunner for the post, will be the home minister.

Khemchand Singh, 62, belongs to the Meitei community and is an engineer by profession. He has previously served as the Municipal Administration Minister in the previous Biren Singh government. In 2022, he had emerged as a contender for the CM’s post.

“Yumnam Khemchand Singh is known as a leader who enjoys the support of all communities. He can work with every group, which is perhaps why the party has placed its bet on him,” a leader said.

In Manipur, Singh is considered a rival of former CM N Biren Singh in Manipur politics. Sources said that by making him the CM, the BJP wants to send a message about its seriousness about the peace process in the state.

Leaders of the BJP have been deliberating for a few weeks over the government formation. President's Rule in the state was imposed on February 13 last year.

Ethnic violence had broken out in the state in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities leaving 258 dead and displaced 60,000.

Of the state’s 60 MLAs, 37 are BJP legislators. In 2022, BJP had won 32 seats, but five of the six JD(U) MLAs joined the BJP.

Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party had won six seats, while the NPF and Congress have five MLAs each. The Kuki People’s Alliance has two MLAs and there are three independents.