Joining hands: On Manipur and Y. Khemchand Singh as new Chief Minister

Nearly a year after former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned on February 9, 2025, leading to President’s Rule, President Droupadi Murmu revoked the order on Wednesday to facilitate the return of a popular government — Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister. The two Deputy Chief Ministers are Nemcha Kipgen, from the Kuki-Zo community, and Losii Dikho of the BJP’s ally, the Naga People’s Front. While these moves were taken to avoid extending President’s Rule beyond one year, which would have required moving a Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament, they also allow the ruling BJP to provide a semblance of democratic governance to help it regain public support during the final year of the Assembly’s tenure. As seen in the general election, the disastrous second tenure of N. Biren Singh had led to discontent in the hills and valley of Manipur, reflected in the victory of Opposition candidates. Subsequently, as sporadic violence spread across even relatively peaceful areas, a coalition of internal critics in the BJP, which included Mr. Khemchand Singh, successfully lobbied for a change in leadership. That Mr. Biren Singh was present when Mr. Khemchand Singh was nominated by the BJP leadership to the posts of Legislature Party leader and Chief Minister suggests party consensus. Mr. Khemchand Singh had also signalled his intent in working towards reconciliation between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities by visiting a Kuki-Zo relief camp in the Naga-dominated Ukhrul district last year.

President’s Rule was also intended to dismantle the impunity of armed radical groups and facilitate the safe return of the displaced. While security forces had managed to recover a significant portion of looted weapons and tamp down the fervour of radical groups, the human cost of the ethnic strife still remains unaddressed. Only 9,000 of the estimated 60,000 displaced persons have returned home, reflecting the enduring trust deficit. Dastardly acts, such as the execution of a Meitei man in the Tuibong area of Churachandpur, in January, while visiting his Kuki-Zo wife, underscore the urgent need to defang radical groups that continue to hold sway. The BJP has successfully leveraged political survival as a glue for its leaders. However, engineering a similar detente between the communities remains a daunting task. With Kuki-Zo groups continuing to demand an untenable “separate administration” which will lead to further discord beyond just the two communities, the new government must move beyond token concessions such as accommodating different community representatives in leadership positions. True stability will require an inclusive dialogue that engages all political and civil society stakeholders to rebuild the foundation of trust.