Imphal: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh is expected to take oath as the Chief Minister of Manipur on Wednesday evening, with the swearing-in ceremony likely to be held around 6 pm. Alongside him, BJP leader Nemcha Kipgen and Naga People’s Front leader Losii Dikho are also set to be sworn in as Deputy Chief Ministers, signaling the formal installation of the new coalition government in the state.
Party sources indicated that senior BJP figure Govindas Konthoujam may be entrusted with the crucial Home portfolio in the new ministry. The ceremony is expected to be attended by prominent BJP leaders and alliance partners, marking the end of a prolonged political vacuum following the resignation of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and the subsequent period of President’s Rule amid ethnic unrest.
Earlier this week, Khemchand was chosen as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party, clearing the path for him to head the new government. Celebrations broke out in several localities after the announcement, with supporters congratulating his family and holding public festivities. In a message shared online, he expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national leaders including Nitin Nabin, and party legislators in Manipur for placing their trust in him. He said he was accepting the responsibility with humility and pledged to promote empathy, compassion, and harmony among all communities in the state.
A legislator from the Singjamei Assembly constituency, Khemchand previously served as Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from 2017 to 2022. He later held key portfolios including Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, and Education. Sixty-two years old, he is also known for promoting martial arts and was awarded a 5th Dan black belt in traditional Taekwondo by the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation in Seoul, becoming the first Indian to receive that distinction. Following the outbreak of violence in 2023, he was among the Manipur ministers called to New Delhi by the Centre to focus on restoring normalcy in the state.
