Manipur returned to an elected administration on Wednesday as an election day on today for control; then once again, after a year of central control by the governor, Manipur was reestablished in office with Yumnam Khemchand Singh. The swearing-in date for the oath of office fell at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, which was a few hours after President Droupadi Murmu signed an order revoking President’s Rule in the state under Article 356(2) of the Constitution.
The Power-Sharing Formula
One such effort is to see to it that in the state where war has ravaged and ethnic relations are further complicated by historical violence, the BJP-led NDA has introduced a diversity of leadership groups:
The first time that Manipur will have two Deputy Chief Ministers from distinct ethnic blocks is expected. Nemcha Kipgen: From Kangpokpi, a long-time Kuki leader, MLA to serve as the state’s first woman Kuki-Zo Deputy CM Losii Dikho: A Naga leader and voice for the Naga community at the new cabinet.
Who is Yumnam Khemchand Singh?
A second-term MLA of the Singjamei constituency, 62-year-old Khemchand is a Meitei. An engineer by vocation, a Taekwondo master (5th Dan Black Belt) and someone considered to be a moderate and “acceptable” figure across ethnic lines. Former Speaker: He was Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2022.
- Ministerial Experience: He served key portfolios like Education and Rural Development in the previous Biren Singh government.
- Bridge Builder: He received a lot of credit in December 2022 when he was one of the first Meitei MLAs to visit Kuki relief camps in Naga-dominated districts to listen to displaced families' grievances.
The Path Ahead
The new government begins the massive task of restoring peace and rehabilitating thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs). The seventh session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly is set to go to session on Friday, February 6, where the new government will probably seek a vote of confidence. Its current Assembly has tenure until 2027, so the Khemchand administration has about a year and a half to stabilize the state before the next general elections.
