President’s Rule ended in Manipur on Wednesday, after the election of a new CM from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Yumnam Khemchand Singh, a martial artist and former Assembly Speaker took oath around 6 p.m. on Wednesday. He is the second CM since the 2022 Assembly election. Nongthombam Biren Singh resigned from his position on February 09, 2025, following the ethnic conflict between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities that broke out on May 3, 2023. Mr. Khemchand Singh is from Singjamei constituency and represents the BJP. Nemcha Kipgen from the Kuki-Zo community and Naga People’s Front MLA Losii Dikho, a Naga leader representing the Mao consituency were sworn in as Deputy CMs.
The newly elected CM spoke to the media that “Manipur has 36 communities, and naturally, we have two Deputy Chief Ministers representing two major communities.” The BJP’s current strength in the 60-member Manipur Assembly stands at 37. Khemchand Singh belongs to the Meitei community and is a two-time MLA. He was elected as the speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly and thereafter he rose to prominence. He held the Speaker’s post for a full five-year term. After the 2022 elections, he was inducted into the Biren Singh cabinet as a minister, where he held important portfolios, including Rural development and Panchayati Raj, municipal administration, housing development, and education.
