India, Feb. 3 -- Yumnam Khemchand Singh was on Tuesday chosen as the BJP legislative party chief in Manipur, clearing the way for the formation of a new government by the party, a year after President's rule was imposed amid large-scale ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki Zo people.

Yumnam Khemchand is a longtime politician and served in top positions before. He was a minister in N Biren Singh's BJP government before central rule came in.

He was elected to the Manipur legislative assembly in 2017 and 2022 from Singjamei constituency. He remained speaker of the assembly in his first stint as MLA, up to 2022.

After winning in 2022, he became a cabinet minister in second Biren Singh ministry. He held portfolios of municipal admini...