Manipur New CM: Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been elected leader of the Manipur BJP legislative party. President's rule was imposed in the state following the resignation of N. Biren Singh.

Yumnam Khemchand will be the next Chief Minister of Manipur

The process of forming a government in Manipur has intensified. Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been elected leader of the Manipur BJP legislative party and will be the next Chief Minister of the state. Yumnam Khemchand is a two-time MLA and served as a minister in the current Biren Singh government. Khemchand belongs to the Meitei community. His name was proposed by former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh himself. Two Deputy Chief Ministers will also be appointed in Manipur. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place on Wednesday (February 3, 2026).

President's rule was imposed amid communal violence. 

President's rule has been in effect in Manipur since February 13 last year, following the resignation of former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh amid prolonged ethnic violence. The BJP Parliamentary Board appointed BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh as the central observer for the election of the legislative party leader in Manipur. President's rule is set to expire on February 12 this year. The 60-member Manipur Legislative Assembly, whose term ends in 2027, remains suspended.

Meeting with the party high command in Delhi

President's rule was first imposed in this northeastern state on February 13, 2025, for six months following months of ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities. It was extended for another six months in August 2025. Recently, former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Speaker of the currently adjourned Assembly Satyabrata Singh, and Yumnam Khemchand Singh visited Delhi for a meeting with the BJP high command. Manipur BJP President A. Sharda Devi was also present at the meeting.

BJP leader's meeting with Meitei and Kuki MLAs

The BJP's central leadership has held several separate meetings over the past few months with its Meitei and Kuki MLAs, allies NPF and NPP, and some independent MLAs to assess whether the political situation is conducive to forming a popular government. On December 14, 2025, BJP National General Secretary (Organization) B.L. Santosh and the party's Northeast Affairs Coordinator Sambit Patra met BJP MLAs from the Meitei and Kuki communities under one roof in Delhi.

Which party has how many seats in Manipur

The BJP had won 32 seats in the 2022 elections, but five of the six Janata Dal United (JDU) MLAs later joined the party. This increased the BJP's number of MLAs in the House to 37. Additionally, the House also includes six MLAs from the National People's Party (NPP), five from the Naga People's Front, five from the Congress, two from the Kuki People's Alliance (KPA), one from the JDU, and three independents. One seat is vacant due to the death of the incumbent MLA.