Imphal, 4 Feb

NDA legislature party leader Y Khemchand Singh on Wednesday staked a claim to form a government in Manipur, state BJP chief A Sharda Devi said.

Restive Manipur has been under the President's rule since February last year.

An NDA team led by Singh met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Lok Bhavan here and staked a claim to form government, she said.

Two MLAs from the Kuki-Zo majority districts of Churachandpur and Pherzawl were among the delegates who met Bhalla at the governor's house.

"We met the governor in the presence of our newly elected legislature party leader and BJP observer Tarun Chugh. The NDA staked a claim to form a popular government in the state," Devi told reporters here.

Khemchand, in a post on social media, said, "Pleased to stake claim to form the new government before the Hon’ble Governor, Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla Ji, at Lok Bhavan today, following my arrival from New Delhi, in the august presence of BJP National General Secretary, Shri Tarun Chugh Ji, and BJP Northeast Coordinator, Shri Sambit Patra Ji."

The development comes a day after the BJP legislature party of Manipur elected 62-year-old Singh as its leader at a meeting held at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

The meeting was attended by 35 of the 37 BJP MLAs, besides the party's central observer Tarun Chugh, its northeast in-charge Sambit Patra, and BJP state president A Sharda Devi, among others.

Subsequently, another meeting was held at the Manipur Bhavan in the national capital, where MLAs of NDA constituents in Manipur -- six of the National People's Party (NPP), five of the Naga People's Front (NPF) and three Independents -- and BJP legislators were in attendance.

They endorsed Singh as the leader and Nemcha Kipgen, who belongs to the Kuki community, as the deputy leader of the NDA legislature party.

Singh said, "The oath-taking ceremony will follow shortly. I am confident that, with the formation of the new Council of Ministers, peace and development will serve as the guiding principles of the new government."

The Singjamei legislator also said, "The political journey towards the vision of #ViksitBharatViksit and Viksit Manipur is not without challenges, but our priorities will remain firmly aligned with achieving these ambitious goals. I extend my sincere gratitude to all for the trust, responsibility, and honour bestowed upon me."

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence since 3 May 2023, after a tribal solidarity march was taken out in the hill districts, in protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Since then, at least 260 people, including members of both the Kuki and Meitei communities as well as security personnel, have been killed in the violence, while thousands become homeless. The state has been under the President’s Rule since February last year.