Who is Yumnam Khemchand Singh, the new Manipur Chief Minister? Why did BJP pick him for the restive state?
He has been given this responsibility at a crucial time when the party is trying to consolidate its leadership amidst the ongoing political developments in the state.
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been elected as the leader of the BJP legislative party in Manipur at a meeting held in Delhi. He will now become the new Chief Minister of Manipur. The meeting of BJP MLAs from Manipur took place on Tuesday, 03 February 2026, at around 5 pm at the BJP headquarters. Manipur has been under President’s Rule for about a year, and the Chief Minister’s post has been vacant.
Meeting of BJP general secretaries with Home Minister Amit Shah
Earlier, a meeting of BJP general secretaries was held with Home Minister Amit Shah at the BJP’s extension office. BJP National President Nitin Nabin, Organization General Secretary B.L. Santosh, and National General Secretary Sunil Bansal were present at the meeting.
Senior BJP leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been elected as the leader of the Manipur BJP legislative party following a party meeting in New Delhi. He has been given this responsibility at a crucial time when the party is trying to consolidate its leadership amidst the ongoing political developments in the state.
Khemchand Singh is a prominent BJP leader from Manipur
Yumnam Khemchand Singh is a prominent BJP leader from Manipur and a two-time MLA. He was elected from the Singjamei assembly constituency in the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections, demonstrating his strong political base in the state capital region.
President’s Rule has been in effect in Manipur for almost a year and amidst this, the BJP has chosen one of the most prominent party leaders from the Northeast to take charge as Manipur Chief Minister. The post has been vacant since N Biren Singh resigned amidst prolonged ethnic violence, and President’s Rule was imposed in the state just days after his resignation.
About Yumnam Khemchand Singh
Yumnam Khemchand Singh is a BJP MLA from the Singjamei constituency in Manipur and served as the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2022. Between 2022 and 2025, he held important ministerial portfolios in the state government. During this period, he served as the Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, and Education.
The 62-year-old leader is known for his active involvement in Manipur politics as well as for promoting martial arts like Taekwondo. In late 2025, he made history by achieving the 5th Dan Black Belt in traditional Taekwondo, which was presented by the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation based in Seoul, South Korea, making him the first India(BHARAT)n to achieve this distinction.
After the violence erupted in Manipur in May 2023, the central government summoned all the state cabinet ministers, including Khemchand Singh, to Delhi. During this meeting, they were instructed to prioritize restoring normalcy in the state.
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