Yumnam Khemchand Singh takes oath as Chief Minister of Manipur

Y. Khemchand Singh of BJP was sworn in as Chief Minister of Manipur and Nemcha Kipgen of BJP was sworn in virtually as Deputy CM from New Delhi. Losii Dikho of Naga People’s Front as Deputy CM.

Two others (Govindas Konthoujam of the BJP and Kh Loken of the National People’s Party) were also sworn in as ministers. Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla swore him an oath of office and secrecy.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at Lok Bhavan in Imphal, hours after the President’s rule in Manipur, in force since February 2025, was revoked.

The ceremony was attended by a large number of BJP MPs, senior party officials and senior leaders of the NDA in the state.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Khemchand met Manipur Governor Mr. Bhalla at Lok Bhavan in Imphal and demanded to form a BJP-led NDA Government in the state.

“I am confident that with the formation of the new Cabinet, peace and development will serve as the guiding principles of the new government,” Mr. Khemchand said in a post on Facebook. “The political journey towards the vision of Viksit Bharat and Viksit Manipur is not free of challenges, but our priorities will remain tightly aligned with achieving these ambitious goals,” Mr. Khemchand added.

Yumnam Khemchand Singh is a long-time RSS functionary and an organization-oriented leader who has held important constitutional and ministerial positions in the state. Besides politics, he has a long association with Taekwondo. The black belt holder is the former vice-president of the Taekwondo Federation of India and was involved in promoting the sport in the Northeast.

He first contested in the 2012 Assembly polls on an All India Trinamool Congress ticket, but lost to a Congress candidate. He officially joined the BJP in 2013.

Born in Singjamei Yumnam Leikai, he completed his High School Leaving Certificate from Ram Lal Paul High School, Imphal in 1978. He is married and has a son.

Former CM Biren Singh quit his post on February 9 last year amid rumors seeking a leadership change in the strife-torn Manipur state BJP. The opposition also wanted his resignation, claiming that he could not control the situation.

His government had imposed a curfew and suspended internet access in the months after the violence broke out; But attacks and murders continued, arson continued, and people from both sides were forced to flee their homes.

In August 2023, Mr. Singh alleged that some misunderstandings, actions of vested interests and foreign conspiracies to destabilize Manipur led to the violence.

The former CM was accused by the Kuki Zo community of involvement in ethnic violence characterized by armed clashes between armed groups of the two warring communities, prompting the public to protest.

Intermittent violence continued in the following months and pressure mounted on Mr Singh from within and outside the ruling BJP.

Kuki-Zo leaders also demanded a separate administrative unit for the community.

Five days later, Mr. Singh went to Delhi and had a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The CM returned to Imphal on February 9 and submitted his resignation to Mr. Bhalla. The Governor accepted his resignation and asked him to continue in office until alternative arrangements were made.

(with PTI inputs)