Y Khemchand Singh was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Manipur on Wednesday, marking the return of an elected government in the state just hours after President’s Rule was withdrawn.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Lok Bhavan in Imphal, formally ending nearly a year of central rule in the violence-affected northeastern state.
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In a move seen as politically and socially significant, the new government appointed two Deputy Chief Ministers representing different communities.
Nemcha Kipgen, a BJP MLA from the Kuki community, and L Dikho, a legislator from the Naga People’s Front (NPF), were sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers. Kipgen took her oath virtually from Manipur Bhavan in New Delhi.
Ministers Also Inducted
Alongside the Chief Minister and his deputies, Govindas Konthoujam of the BJP and K Loken Singh of the National People’s Party (NPP) were inducted into the Council of Ministers.
Senior BJP leaders, NDA allies, and legislators from across the state attended the ceremony, underscoring the coalition’s strength in the assembly.
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Manipur had been under President’s Rule since February last year, following prolonged ethnic unrest that paralysed governance. The swearing-in ceremony came within hours of the formal revocation of central rule, clearing the way for the BJP-led NDA to assume charge.
The BJP legislature party had elected Singh as its leader a day earlier at a meeting in New Delhi, attended by 35 of the 37 BJP MLAs, along with party observers Tarun Chugh, Sambit Patra, and state BJP chief A Sharda Devi.
NDA Unity Reaffirmed
Subsequently, NDA legislators — including MLAs from the NPP, NPF, and Independent members — met at Manipur Bhavan and unanimously endorsed Singh’s leadership, signalling coalition unity ahead of governance challenges.
Manipur continues to grapple with the aftermath of ethnic violence that erupted on May 3, 2023, following protests in hill districts over the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
The unrest has resulted in over 260 deaths, displacement of thousands, and deep social divisions between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, placing immense responsibility on the new government to restore peace and normalcy.
