Yumnam Khemchand Singh is set to become the next Manipur Chief Minister after being elected leader of the BJP legislature party on Tuesday.
His selection clears the way for the formation of a popular government in the state after nearly a year of President’s rule.
Nemcha Kipgen, a woman Kuki leader and former minister, is likely to be the deputy chief minister in the new Manipur government when it is formed, sources said.
A meeting of the legislators of all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance will be held on Tuesday night, where the names of Singh and Kipgen are expected to be endorsed.
Singh was elected at a meeting of the Manipur BJP legislature party, helmed by former CM Biren Singh at the national capital. The meeting was also attended by BJP MLAs, party central observer Tarun Chugh, and BJP northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, among others.
Singh, a former taekwondo player, has been elected to the Manipur Assembly twice, in 2017 and 2022, representing Singjamei. During his first term, he served as Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2022.
In the second term of the Biren Singh government, he served as a Cabinet Minister, overseeing the Municipal Administration and Housing Development department, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and the Education department.
On December 8 last year, he became the first Meitei MLA to visit relief camps housing internally displaced persons from the Kuki community at Ukhrul's Litan and Chassad in Kamjong district.
The 60-member Manipur Assembly was kept under suspended animation after President’s rule was imposed on February 13 last year after then Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned, a day before his government was scheduled to face a no-confidence motion and a crucial floor test.
President’s rule was later extended for another six months from August 13 and is set to expire on February 13.
At present, the BJP has 37 MLAs in the Assembly. In the 2022 Assembly elections, the party had won 32 seats. The JD(U) had secured six seats, five of whose MLAs later defected to the BJP.
Among the remaining members, six belong to the National People's Party, five to the Naga People's Front, five to the Congress, two to the Kuki People's Alliance, one to the Janata Dal (United), and three are Independents. One seat is currently vacant following the death of a sitting MLA.
Reacting to the development, BJP's Manipur unit spokesperson Laimayum Bashanta Sharma said that the election of Singh as the legislature party leader shows the Centre's intention to restore peace and normalcy in the strife-torn state.
"We deeply appreciate the selection of Yumnam Khemchand as the legislature party leader. It has been nearly a year since the state has been under President's rule. He has one of the cleanest images among the MLAs. He is someone who believes in action rather than words as evident by developmental works in his constituency," Sharma said, reported PTI.
"His election shows the Centre's clear intention to restore peace and normalcy in the state. He is someone who is acceptable to all the communities, including the Nagas and the Kukis," he added.
The state has been grappling with ethnic violence that erupted on May 3, 2023, leaving more than 260 people dead and around 60,000 others internally displaced. Most of the displaced remain in relief camps.
(With inputs from PTI)