New Delhi: A year after Manipur was put under President’s Rule, after Biren Singh resigned following mounting political pressure, the ethnic violence-torn state will get a new chief minister. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Yumnam Khemchand, who was elected as the leader of legislative party on Tuesday (February 3), will be taking the chair.Meanwhile, the state might get a woman deputy chief minister, as Nemcha Kipgen, a former state minister, is among the frontrunners for the post, reported news agency PTI.A meeting of the BJP’s legislative members’ meeting was held at the party headquarters in Delhi earlier today. Following the vote, BJP leaders congratulated Khemchand. Former chief minister Singh was also present at the meeting.Heartiest congratulations to Hon’ble Shri @YKhemchandSingh on being elected as the BJP Legislature Party Leader of Manipur.On behalf of BJP Manipur Pradesh, we wish you great success. Your experience, dedication, and leadership will further strengthen the party and serve the… pic.twitter.com/qkLoxyKVtO— BJP Manipur (@BJP4Manipur) February 3, 2026“Heartiest congratulations to Hon’ble Shri Y Khemchand Singh on being elected as the BJP Legislature Party Leader of Manipur. On behalf of BJP Manipur Pradesh, we wish you great success. Your experience, dedication, and leadership will further strengthen the party and serve the aspirations of the people of Manipur,” BJP Manipur posted on X.The legislators of all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance will meet again tonight to decide on the names, according to PTI.On February 9, 2025, following a series of allegations and months of mounting political pressure, then Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh had tendered his resignation from the post. The pressure had reached a tipping point when the opposition demanded a no-confidence motion for his government. Subsequently, the state was put under the President’s Rule for six months, which was then extended for another six months in August.The violence in Manipur has been raging for nearly three years. At least 260 people have been killed (till May 2025, per latest available official data) and thousands displaced in the ethnic conflict between the dominant Meitei community and the minority Kuki-Zo communities.Khemchand, a senior BJP leader, who served as the speaker of the assembly and cabinet minister in Singh’s cabinet, is from the Meitei community, whereas Kipgen, who is speculated to be the deputy, is from Kuki community.Khemchand was elected in Manipur legislative assembly in 2017 and 2022 from Singjamei constituency, and served as the speaker of Manipur assembly from 2017 to 2022. In 2022, he was appointed as a cabinet minister, for municipal administration, housing development (MAHUD) department, rural development and panchayati raj and the education department.The Manipur assembly currently has 37 BJP MLAs. The party is supported by its allies Naga People’s Front with 5 legislators, and Janata Dal (United) with one. The opposition holds 16 seats, comprising National People’s Party (6), Congress (5), three independents, and two from Kuki People’s Alliance, which withdrew its support from Biren’s government in August 2023.