The saffron brigade has finally decided as to who would lead the new government after months of wrangling both in New Delhi and Nagpur. They finally zeroed in on Yumnam Khemchand, the 62-year-old former Speaker and Minister in the last Biren Singh government, for the post of Chief Minister. The orchestration was done in Delhi by the BJP’s National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, who was earlier named as the Party’s observer for the selection of the new leader of the Legislative Party, and Sambit Patra the BJP’s in charge for the North Eastern region. This was on the 3rd of February.
Lined up for the countdown were 37 BJP MLAs (32 original and 5 neo converts from the JD(U); six from the National People’s Party (NPP); 5 from the Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF); 2 from the Kuki Peoples’ Alliance, 1 from the Janta Dal (United) and three independent MLAS. Out of the 10 Kuki legislators, two could not be present on health grounds. Amidst the claims and counter-claims for the hot seat, it had narrowed down to two names, namely Govindas Konthoujam who was a seventh-time elected MLA and a man who quit as President of the Congress Party in the state to join the BJP bandwagon on the eve of the elections in 2022. The other was Yumnam Khemchand. Khemchand as a Minister in the then Biren Singh government had been the first to openly express dissent against Biren.
He had then stated openly and loudly, to explain his absence in two consecutive Cabinet meetings, that he “was not invited” and said that the time has come for Biren to go. While Govindas had a majority support amongst the legislators, his candidature was said to have been vetoed by the Kuki as his name was proposed by their bete noir, Biren Singh. And shortly before, Khemchand had done the unthinkable for a Meitei legislator by visiting two camps housing Kuki IDPs in Ukhrul and Kamjong districts. That had broken through a two-year-old water-tight wall between the two communities.
It had provided the much needed first light of a new dawn. The BJP High Command, meaning Modi and Shah, must have given their nod and Khemchand ‘s name was announced to be the new Chief Minister. It was also understood that Nemcha Kipgen, whose husband heads the militant Kuki National Front, would also be inducted as a Deputy Chief Minister along with her counterpart from the NPF who would also be given the same status in the new government. And that Govindas Konthoujam would be the new Home Minister in the new Cabinet was also understood. So the entourage flew to Imphal in a chartered aircraft and straight away made for Governor Ajay Bhalla’s residence, now renamed the Lok Bhawan and staked claim to form the new government. It was readily agreed to and by afternoon President Murmu had signed the decree lifting President’s Rule from Manipur.
And at 6 p.m. the same evening Governor Ajay Bhalla administerd Khemchand the oath of secrecy and governance as the Chief Minister of Manipur. Sworn in along with him were Govindas Konthoujam the runners up to the throne, Losii Dikho and Nemcha Kipgen both as Deputy Chief Ministers. While Dikho was present physically for the swearing-in, Nemcha Kipgen was sworn-in virtually via satellite with her positioned at the Manipur Bhawan in New Delhi, being the first to do so in Manipur. Also sworn-in was Khuraijam Lokendro of the NPP from Wangoi Assembly Constituency. Significantly, also present at the gathering were L M Khaute IPS (Rtd) former Director General of Police, Manipur and MLA from Churachandpur, and Ngusranglur Samnate from Timapaimukh.
Both of them had to leave Imphal in post the 3rd May breakout of ethnic war between the Kuki-Zomi and the Meiteis. Speaking to the media after being sworn in as the Chief Minister, Khemchand said that “normalcy can be achieved”, pointing out the presence of Samnate and Khaute in the gathering at the swearing in ceremony. Thereafter he convened a cabinet meeting and resolved to summon the Manipur Legislative Assembly the next day, the 5th of February. The House met at 4 p.m. and Governor Bhalla rattled off his success story during his rule, which would have crossed the one year mark on the 13th of February. He stated that during his regime, altogether 7313 firearms, 83512 rounds of ammunitions and 5195 explosives were recovered.
These includes the 1078 firearms which were looted from the police armouries earlier in 2023 and were later surrendered by a Meitei radical group. He also stated that phased resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons, numbering over 60,000 persons who fled their homes due to the outbreak of the ethnic war has begun with the Centre having allocated Rs. 523 crore to that effect. Khemchand won the vote of confidence on the floor of the House subsequently. But what was not reflected in Governor Bhalla’s speech in the House was the backlash from the Kuki community to the swearing in of Nemcha Kipgen as the Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur and the attendance of Khaute and Sanate at the Imphal ceremony.
Nemcha’s husband is the President of the Kuki National Front and Chairman of the United People’s Front, the conglomerate of various Kuki militant groups under Suspension of Operations with the Government of India, and the force behind the movement for the creation of a Kuki Land/Union Territory or Separate Administration. A movement that has seen more than 250 people being killed, over 60,000 people displaced and thousands of houses burnt and had reduced the state into a zombie-land. Nemcha’s inclusion in the State Cabinet seems to have taken the wind out of the sails of the Kukis dream of a separate homeland. Soon posters began appearing on social media terming Nemcha as a traitor.
But unlike in 2023 the State administration put its foot down and as Home Minister designate Govindas told the media ‘the situation is under control”. The Rapid Action Force of the CRPF was rushed into Churachandpur to quell any further protests. The protestors withdrew from the streets and resorted to calling a bandh. Earlier on the 31st of January, tens of thousands of Manipuris marched down the streets of Imphal reiterating the need for maintaining the territorial and administrative integrity of Manipur. Organised by the Co-ordinating Committee for Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) it castigated the policy of the Government of India in encouraging Myanmarese Kuki Poppy planters, arming them to break up Manipur and snuffing out the Meiteis. With all said and done, meanwhile, there seems to be no love lost between Khemchand and his predecessor Biren Singh.
Both of them had entered politics in 2002 through the Democratic and Revolutionary Peoples’ Party but Biren had succumbed to his own weight. There was not an iota of administration worth the name and any criticism of him were answered with a volley of gunfire at their houses. This correspondent had his place of residence subjected to three gun attacks for having criticised Biren Singh openly and was also abducted at gunpoint.
President’s Rule was imposed a week after the abduction. Also the police force seems to be less demoralised, while clear cut instructions needs to be given to the central security forces with a charter of action to be taken. With elections less than a year away, Khemchand has his task cut out for him ~ first to bring about an administration that is accountable and secondly to ensure that the BJP does not suffer a complete washout in the elections to the State Assembly next year.