BJP leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh will be sworn in as Manipur chief minister at 6 pm today (Wednesday). He was been elected as the leader of the BJP legislature
party in Manipur, paving the way for him to likely be the next Chief Minister, succeeding N Biren Singh. Khemchand Singh is a two-time MLA from the Singjamei constituency, having won the Manipur Legislative Assembly elections in 2017 and 2022 as a BJP candidate. He emerged as a key figure in state politics after the BJP formed the government in 2017, despite the Congress winning more seats, by securing the support of regional parties and defecting legislators. From 2017 to 2022, Khemchand Singh served as the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. His tenure was marked by controversy over anti-defection cases involving Congress legislators who supported the BJP government.
Following the 2022 Assembly elections, in which the BJP won a clear majority with 32 seats, Khemchand Singh was seen as a potential chief ministerial contender amid internal party discussions. However, incumbent Chief Minister N Biren Singh retained the post.
Khemchand Singh was subsequently inducted into the cabinet in the second Biren Singh government and was assigned key portfolios, including Municipal Administration and Housing Development, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and Education. He served as a cabinet minister until February 2025, when President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur.
During the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023, Khemchand Singh was among the ministers summoned to New Delhi by the Union government and was directed to prioritise restoring normalcy. His tenure during this period was marked by public pressure and security concerns. Protesters stormed his residence on multiple occasions, and in October 2023, a grenade attack at his home injured a CRPF personnel and a relative.
A Taekwondo Champion
Interestingly, Khemchand Singh became the first Indian to receive the 5th Dan black belt in traditional taekwondo. Singh was presented the 5th Dan certificate at the office of the Global Traditional Taekwondo Federation (GTTF) in Seoul on December 30. Singh had earned the 5th Dan rank in October 2024 but was unable to travel to South Korea at the time due to the ethnic violence in Manipur, reports The Hindu.
Now 62, Singh began practising taekwondo at the age of 16. He later founded the All Assam Taekwondo Association in 1982 and is regarded as one of the pioneers of the sport in Manipur. He was also among the early figures involved in popularising taekwondo as a competitive sport in India and in the formation of the Taekwondo Federation of India.
President's Rule in Manipur After Ethnic Violence
Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, 2025, following months of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities. The violence began in May 2023 and claimed at least 260 lives. The central rule was imposed after the BJP-led government headed by Biren Singh resigned on February 9, and the 60-member Assembly was put under suspended animation. President’s Rule was extended for a second six-month term in August 2025.
The BJP currently has 37 MLAs in the Assembly after defections.
