Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh has been elected as the Legislature Party Leader of the Manipur BJP. The decision was taken at a party meeting held in New Delhi on February 3, according to sources familiar with the development. The move comes at an important time for Manipur, which has been under President’s Rule for nearly a year. Party leaders said the election of a legislature party leader signals the BJP’s effort to bring clarity and direction to its leadership as political activity in the state slowly picks up again. Sources said the meeting was attended by senior party leaders and MLAs, and the decision to choose Yumnam Khemchand Singh was taken after discussions within the party. His elevation is being seen as part of the BJP’s wider plan to reorganise its leadership in Manipur amid ongoing political changes.
Yumnam Khemchand Singh is a well-known face in Manipur politics with long experience in legislative and administrative roles. He is a two-time Member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from the Singjamei Assembly constituency in Imphal West district. He won the seat in both the 2017 and 2022 Assembly elections, building a strong support base in the state capital area.Singh first came into the spotlight in March 2017 when he was elected Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. He served as Speaker for a full five-year term until 2022. His tenure covered a politically sensitive period for the state, and he was known for maintaining legislative procedures and discipline in the House during times of political uncertainty. After the 2022 Assembly elections, Singh was inducted into the second council of ministers led by N Biren Singh.
As a Cabinet Minister, he was given charge of several important departments, including Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, and the Education Department. During his time as minister, Singh was involved in urban governance initiatives, rural development schemes, and the administration of the education sector. He continued in the Cabinet until February 2025, when President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur and the elected government was suspended.
