After a long deliberation with central party leaders, the Manipur BJP Legislature Party on Tuesday elected Y. Khemchand Singh as its leader, and thus the Chief Minister. Sources said the swearing-in ceremony of the new government will take place in Imphal on Wednesday. The central leadership has decided to appoint two Deputy Chief Ministers, one likely from the Kuki community, sources said.
Saying the Union home ministry had given the go-ahead for the formation of the government by revoking President’s Rule, sources in the party said Khemchand Singh’s name was proposed after the consultation of central party leaders with Kuki MLAs too. Former chief minister N. Biren Singh proposed the Khemchand Singh’s name for the leadership, sources said.
Khemchand Singh is a former Speaker of the Assembly and Cabinet minister in Biren Singh’s Cabinet. He has been elected to the Manipur Assembly in 2017 and 2022 from Singjamei. He recently took a lead in visiting Kuki villages while appealing for restoring harmony among the communities. He is from the Meitei community.
Sources said a meeting of legislators of all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance will be held later Tuesday night, where Khemchand Singh’s name is expected to be endorsed as the NDA legislature party leader.
BJP party sources said Manipur BJP MLAs elected Khemchand Singh at a meeting that was also attended by central observer Tarun Chugh and Northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, among others.
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, 2025. The 60-member Assembly was put into 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.
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 held a meeting with NPP president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio recently in New Delhi, where a consensus over restoring the Manipur government had been built up.
Sources said the central party leadership had also taken Kuki MLAs who were called for a meeting in New Delhi into confidence over the formation of the government.
