Kuki woman MLA to be Deputy CM as Y Khemchand Singh emerges NDA leader in Manipur

Former minister Y Khemchand Singh was on February 3 elected leader of the NDA legislature party in Manipur, clearing the way for the formation of a new government in the violence-hit northeastern state, with Singh set to take over as chief minister.

Nemcha Kipgen, a woman Kuki leader and former minister, is likely to be the deputy chief minister in the new Manipur government when it is formed, sources said.

The BJP legislature party elected the 62-year-old leader at a meeting held at the party headquarters, attended by 35 of the 37 BJP MLAs. 

The meeting was overseen by BJP central observer Tarun Chugh and attended by party’s northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, state BJP president 

A Sharda Devi and other senior leaders. Two BJP MLAs were absent due to illness. Former minister and senior Kuki leader Nemcha Kipgen was also chosen as deputy chief minister.

Subsequently, a meeting of NDA legislators was held at Manipur Bhavan, where BJP MLAs, along with six legislators of the National People’s Party (NPP), five of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and three Independent MLAs, unanimously endorsed Y Khemchand Singh as leader of the NDA legislature party and Kipgen as the deputy leader. 

Sources said there is also a proposal to appoint a Naga MLA as an additional deputy chief minister, though no official announcement has been made so far.

Sources indicated that the NDA is likely to stake claim to form the government by meeting the governor as early as February 4. 

Independent MLA Sapam Nishikant Singh, who attended the NDA meeting, said Y Khemchand Singh was a natural choice as he enjoys cordial relations with all three major communities in Manipur — the Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas. “There will be good days, and peace will come to Manipur,” he said.

The political developments come just days ahead of the expiry of the second spell of President’s rule in the state on February 12. Former chief minister N Biren Singh and Assembly Speaker Satyabrata Singh were present at both meetings.

Manipur has been under President’s rule since February 13, 2025, after the BJP-led government headed by Biren Singh resigned on February 9 following months of ethnic violence. The 60-member Assembly, whose term runs till 2027, was placed under suspended animation after President’s rule was imposed.

At present, the BJP has 37 MLAs in the Assembly. In the 2022 elections, the party had won 32 seats, while the JD(U) secured six seats, five of whose MLAs later defected to the BJP. The current Assembly composition also includes six NPP MLAs, five from the NPF, five from the Congress, two from the Kuki People’s Alliance, one JD(U) MLA, three Independents, and one vacant seat following the death of a sitting legislator.

Sources said the BJP central leadership had, over the past few months, held several rounds of consultations with Meitei and Kuki MLAs, alliance partners NPP and NPF, and Independent legislators to assess whether conditions were conducive for restoring a popular government. On December 14, BJP national general secretary (organisation) B L Santhosh and Sambit Patra held a joint meeting in Delhi with BJP MLAs from both the Meitei and Kuki communities.

President’s rule was imposed after prolonged ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which began in May 2023 following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in hill districts opposing the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The violence claimed at least 260 lives and displaced thousands. After President’s rule was enforced, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla initiated several measures to restore peace, including appeals for the surrender of looted weapons.