Former minister Y. Khemchand Singh was on February 3 elected leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) legislature party in Manipur, paving the way for the formation of a new government in the violence-hit northeastern state.

Senior Kuki leader and former minister Nemcha Kipgen, the only woman MLA from the community, is likely to be appointed Deputy Chief Minister in the proposed NDA government, sources said. She was unanimously chosen as the deputy leader of the NDA legislature party, underlining her growing prominence in the state’s political leadership.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislature party elected the 62-year-old Singh at a meeting held at the party headquarters, attended by 35 of the 37 BJP MLAs. Two MLAs were absent due to illness. 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.

Following this, 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 Nemcha Kipgen as the deputy leader.

Sources also indicated that there is a proposal to appoint a Naga MLA as an additional Deputy Chief Minister, though no official announcement has been made so far.
The NDA is expected to stake claim to form the government by meeting the Governor as early as February 4, sources said.

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