Manipur puts cabinet expansion on hold amid violence

Guwahati: Grappling with violence, Manipur is not considering an expansion of its council of ministers for the time being, with the state government functioning with a handful of ministers.

The state is likely to go to assembly polls early next year. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh assumed office on February 4. The Khemchand-led NDA government in Manipur won the floor test in the state assembly on February 5.

On March 4, the chief minister allocated portfolios among the two Deputy Chief Ministers and two Cabinet Ministers, retaining most key departments with himself.


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Chief Minister Khemchand Singh, Nemcha Kipgen and Konthoujam Govindas Singh belong to the BJP, while Losii Dikho and Khuraijam Loken Singh are from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the National People’s Party (NPP), respectively. The lone woman minister and BJP MLA, Nemcha Kipgen, belongs to the Kuki community.

The strength of the council of ministers in Manipur is 12.

A senior BJP leader, who did not want to be named, said, “Restoring peace and bringing back law and order is the priority of the government. Violence is unceasing and their trust deficit among different communities are very high so there cannot be cabinet expansion now. The chief minister and other ministers are visiting different areas to restore normalcy.”

The leader said, “Expansion may be considered only post Durga Puja celebration. The Durga puja is in October.”

Manipur had been under President's rule since February 13, 2025, which was revoked in February this year.

At least 306 people have been killed and 49 remain missing in the ethnic violence that has gripped Manipur since May 2023, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam told the state assembly on September 3, 2026.

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More than 60,000 people were displaced after ethnic violence broke out between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023. The violence erupted after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.