It’s Wednesday morning, February 4, 2026, and Manipur is waking up to the news that Yumnam Khemchand Singh is officially set to be the next Chief Minister. After nearly a year of President’s Rule, the “popular” government is returning, but the state he’s inheriting is still very much a collection of fragments.
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The thing is, the Centre is framing this as a constitutional necessity because President’s Rule was set to expire on February 13. Or nothing.
The Return of Governance: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where the “new” leadership looks a lot like a delicate balancing act. Here’s the ground reality from the latest developments:
The Meitei-Kuki-Naga “Bridge”: Khemchand, a Meitei leader and former Speaker, is being positioned as a “non-polarizing” figure. And then the cabinet plan followed. Reports suggest a historic move: Nemcha Kipgen is likely to become the first woman Kuki-Zo Deputy CM, with another Deputy post reserved for the Naga People’s Front (NPF).
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The “Biren” Exit: Former CM N. Biren Singh, who resigned on February 9 last year, was actually the one to propose Khemchand’s name. Let’s be real—the internal BJP deadlock over leadership was the real reason the state stayed under central rule for so long. Once that was settled in Delhi yesterday, the path cleared.
Conditional Engagement: The Kuki-Zo student groups in Churachandpur aren’t celebrating yet. They’ve marched against a government formation that doesn’t include a “political settlement” (read: Union Territory). They’re asking for written guarantees and timelines. Those too.
The Physical Segment: The new government will preside over a state where you still need “informal permission” to cross between the hills and the valley. It’s a bit messy. The institutions are back, but the trust is still under suspended animation. Or nothing.
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Manipur’s New Power Structure (Feb 2026)
| Position | Candidate | Background |
| Chief Minister | Yumnam Khemchand Singh | Meitei; Former Speaker; Singjamei MLA. |
| Deputy CM 1 | Nemcha Kipgen (Proposed) | Kuki-Zo; First woman to potentially hold the post. |
| Deputy CM 2 | NPF Leader (Proposed) | Representing the Naga community’s interests. |
| Status of Assembly | Active until 2027 | Suspended animation to be lifted by Feb 13. |
And Here’s the Kicker…
The Centre is shifting the burden of reconciliation onto a state leadership that doesn’t actually control the biggest levers—security and territorial reconfiguration are still tightly held by Delhi. The thing is, this “popular” government might end up being an administrator of a stalemate rather than an architect of peace. Those too.
One side comment—Khemchand is a 5th Dan black belt in Taekwondo. He’s going to need all that discipline because the political arena he’s stepping into is far more volatile than any sparring mat. Authentic, but the stakes are lives, not points. It’s an ongoing situation. Or nothing.
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End…
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