Imphal, Feb 3 (NationPress) Yumnam Khemchand Singh, a former athlete-turned-politician and prominent leader of the BJP, is set to assume office as the 13th Chief Minister of Manipur, following the state achieving full statehood on January 21, 1972.

Upon being designated as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party, Singh conveyed his heartfelt thanks to BJP National President Nitin Nabin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

In a statement on his official X account, Singh remarked, “I sincerely thank the esteemed BJP National President Nitin Nabin ji, Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, Hon’ble Union Home Minister Amit Shah ji, and all the esteemed MLAs of Manipur for entrusting me with the leadership of the BJP Legislature.”

Bringing an end to months of speculation and negotiations regarding the formation of a government, the BJP confirmed on Tuesday that Singh, the former Speaker of the Assembly, would be the state's next Chief Minister.

After a meeting at the party headquarters in New Delhi, the BJP legislature party announced that Singh had been elected as the leader.

Singh will officially take charge as Chief Minister of Manipur, which has been under President’s Rule since February 13 of last year, following the resignation of then Chief Minister N. Biren Singh amidst ongoing ethnic unrest.

BJP officials indicated that Singh was chosen as the Legislature Party Leader during a meeting attended by BJP MLAs from Manipur, along with the party's newly appointed Central Observer Tarun Chugh and BJP Northeast coordinator Sambit Patra, among other senior leaders.

A notable figure in both sports and politics, Singh is the founder of the Assam Taekwondo Association in the adjacent state and previously held the position of Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Throughout his political career, he has overseen various critical departments, including Municipal Administration and Housing Development (MAHUD), Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and Education.

Belonging to the major Meitei community, Singh held the Speaker position from 2017 to 2022 and was elected twice from the Singjamei constituency in the Imphal West district as a BJP candidate during the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections. He was inducted as a Cabinet Minister in the second ministry led by N. Biren Singh following the BJP's consecutive victory in the 2022 Manipur Assembly elections.

Singh was a minister from March 20, 2022, until the imposition of President’s Rule on February 13, 2025. Revered in the BJP for his grassroots organizing skills, Singh was engaged in business prior to his political endeavors. He is also a long-standing practitioner of Taekwondo, having commenced training in his youth.

Recently, he received the prestigious 5th-Dan Black Belt in traditional Taekwondo from the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation, Seoul, South Korea, an esteemed rank that signifies years of dedication and expertise. He previously served as Vice President of the Taekwondo Federation of India (TFI) and played a significant role in the initial development of the sport in India's Northeast.

Regarded as a unifying figure, Singh is perceived as a consensus choice across various factions within the party during this transitional political phase in Manipur.

Political analysts view him as a dependable administrative option amidst ongoing political turmoil. In a notable gesture amidst the ethnic violence that erupted in May 2023, Singh recently visited the tribal-majority districts of Ukhrul and Kamjong, marking the first outreach by a Meitei leader to the hill regions since the conflict began.

Political observers hailed this move as exemplary and pioneering, aiming to foster ethnic reconciliation between the majority Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo tribes.

During his visit, Singh engaged closely with tribal residents in Litan and Chassad villages, both located in Naga-majority areas also home to Kuki-Zo tribes. He also visited two Kuki villages in the hill regions as a confidence-building initiative, making the first contact in 33 months since the ethnic strife commenced between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. The 61-year-old BJP leader interacted with villagers in Litan, a Kuki hamlet in the Ukhrul district bordering Myanmar, and inquired about the challenges faced over the past two and a half years.

He also visited a Kuki relief camp at the Litan Sareikhong Baptist Church and interacted with the displaced individuals who had fled their homes during the violence. As the Rural Development Minister, Singh facilitated a central package for the construction of 7,000 houses for internally displaced persons. Earlier, he organized a relief camp for displaced Meitei families at Manipur College in Imphal, which operated for over seven months.

The legislator also assisted displaced families in returning to their homes in Serou and Sugunu villages.

State BJP vice president and notable Tangkhul Naga leader Hopingson Shimray, who accompanied Singh during the visit, described it as a remarkable gesture for a leader to visit Kuki villages in the hills at a time when many are hesitant to enter areas dominated by other communities. He noted that Singh is the first BJP Meitei MLA to visit a Kuki relief camp.

Another Tangkhul Naga leader, Mark Luithing, former chairman of the Autonomous District Council (ADC), stated that Singh was the first leader to initiate contact among the people following the violence in May 2023.

He added that Singh also visited Chassad Kuki village in the Kamjong district, which borders Myanmar. Over 260 individuals lost their lives, approximately 1,500 were injured, and more than 70,000 were displaced after ethnic turmoil erupted between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023, following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ organized in the hill districts protesting the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, just four days after N. Biren Singh resigned from the Chief Minister’s position.

(Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujitchakrabortyne@gmail.com)