Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Former Assembly Speaker and Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Manipur on February 4. The swearing-in came a day after the BJP announced in New Delhi that the 61-year-old Meitei community leader will be the new Legislature Party Leader. Singh, a sportsman-turned-politician and founder of the Assam Taekwondo Association in the neighbouring state, earlier served as the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new Chief Minister, two Deputy Chief Ministers, and two other ministers at a ceremony at the Lok Bhavan. The other ministers who took oath are NemchaKipgen and GovindasKonthoujam — both from the BJP, Loishi Dikho of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), and Khuraijam Loken Singh of the National People’s Party.
Former minister NemchaKipgen took the oath virtually from Manipur Bhavan in New Delhi as Deputy Chief Minister. The lone woman minister so far, she belongs to the Kuki tribal community. Dikho of the NPF also took the oath as the Deputy Chief Minister. The Khemchand Singh-led ministry will be expanded later as the berths of seven ministers are still vacant.
Earlier on February 4, the Centre on withdrew President’s Rule from Manipur, paving the way for the Yumnam Khemchand Singh-led NDA government in the state, officials said. “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 356 of the Constitution, I, Droupadi Murmu, President of India, hereby revoke the Proclamation issued by me under the said article on the 13th day of February, 2025, in relation to the State of Manipur, with effect from the 4th day of February, 2026,” a notification, issued by the Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan said.
