LM Khaute, Ngursanglur attend swearing in ceremony at Lok Bhavan, Nemcha takes oath virtually from Manipur Bhavan, Delhi President's Rule lifted, Y Khemchand sworn in as 13th Chief Minister

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Feb 4 : President's Rule in Manipur has been lifted nearly after a year, and BJP strongman Yumnam Khemchand Singh has taken oath as the 13th Chief Minister of the State.
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla administered the oath of office and secrecy to Yumnam Khemchand as the Chief Minister and four other Cabinet Ministers at Lok Bhavan Imphal this evening.
Kangpokpi Assembly Constituency [BJP] MLA Nemcha Kipgen and Mao Assembly Constituency [NPF] MLA Losii Dikho took oaths as Deputy Chief Ministers.
While Nemcha Kipgen took the oath of office first virtually from Delhi, becoming the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of the State, Losii Dikho took his oath in person at the Lok Bhavan. This is also the first time that Manipur would be having two Deputy Chief Ministers.
Bishnupur AC's BJP MLA Govindas Konthou-jam and Wangoi AC's NPP MLA Khuraijam Loken also took oaths as Cabinet Ministers.
Ex-Minister N Biren Singh, former CM and Congress leader Okram Ibobi, former CM Radhabinod Koijam, several MLAs of the BJP, NPP, NPF, Congress and Independent MLAs attended the swearing in ceremony.
Significantly, Chura-chandpur MLA LM Khaute and Tipaimukh MLA Ngursanglur Sanate were among those who attended the ceremony.
The revocation of President's Rule and the formation of the new Government came within 72 hours of the saffron party appointing its National general secretary Tarun Chugh as the observer for electing BJP Legislative Party leader for Manipur.
Yumnam Khemchand was named the BJP Legislative Party leader in Delhi yesterday, and President Droupadi Murmu revoked the President's Rule today, clearing the path for him to take oath as the Chief Minister this evening at Lok Bhavan, Imphal.
Yumnam Khemchand, Losii Dikho, Govindas Konthoujam, ex-Chief Minister N Biren Singh, and several others including Kakching MLA Mayanglambam Rameshwar, Tipaimukh MLA Ngursanglur Sanate and Churachandpur MLA LM Khaute along with BJP National general secretary Tarun Chugh, the party's North East coordinator MP Dr Sambit Patra and BJP Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda reached Imphal from Delhi in a chartered flight at 11.20 am.
They were received by BJP supporters and people of Singjamei Assembly Constituency at the Imphal International Airport.
From the airport, the MLAs along with the BJP leaders arrived at Lok Bhavan to meet Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to stake claim for Government formation.
Four political parties, National People's Party (6 members), Naga People's Front (5 members), Janata Dal-United (1-member), and two Independent MLAs support the BJP lerd Government.
Shortly after staking claim, the oath taking ceremony began at 6 pm with Yumnam Khemchand sworn in as the new Chief Minister.
While only 5 Ministers including Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand were sworn in today, others are expected to take oath in the coming days.
The new Government will have a 12-member Council of Ministers. The remaining portfolios have not been decided and distributed, and there is a difference of opinion within the BJP MLAs on the issue at present, said a source.
Several BJP MLAs are lobbying for Ministerial berths, added the source.
President's Rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13, 2025 after the resignation of N Biren Singh as the Chief Minister days earlier on February 9, 2025.
N Biren's resignation and the imposition of the President's Rule in the State for a record 11th time happened amid heightened tension between Meitei and Kuki communities which has killed more than 250 persons and displaced over 60,000 people since May 3, 2023.
The revocation of President's Rule today was notified and published in The Gazette of India (Extraordinary).
The lifting of the President's Rule before its expiry on February 13, 2026, and the immediate formation of the Government is seen as a step the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has taken to strengthen its position before the 2027 State Assembly elections.
The BJP had suffered a setback when it lost the two Lok Sabha seats to the Congress in the elections in 2024.