N. Biren Singh

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Nongthombam Biren Singh
The Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri Biren Singh calling on the Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, in New Delhi on September 06, 2017 (cropped).jpg
Singh in New Delhi, 2017
12th Chief Minister of Manipur
Assumed office
15 March 2017
GovernorNajma Heptullah
La Ganesan
Preceded byOkram Ibobi Singh
Member of Manipur Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
2002
Preceded byWakambam Thoiba Singh
ConstituencyHeingang
Personal details
Born (1961-01-01) 1 January 1961 (age 63)
Imphal, Manipur, India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party (2017–present)
Other political
affiliations
National Democratic Alliance (2017–present)
Indian National Congress (2004–2016)
Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party (2002–2004)
Spouse(s)Hiyainu Devi
Children3
Alma materManipur University
WebsiteOfficial website
Government website
Military service
Allegiance India
Branch/serviceBorder Security Force
Years of service1979–1993

Nongthombam Biren Singh (born 1 January 1961)[1] is an Indian politician, former footballer and journalist, who is currently serving as the Chief Minister of Manipur for the second term since 2017. [2]

N. Biren Singh was awarded Champions of Change in 2018 for his exceptional work to the nation. The award was conferred by the Vice-President of India Sri. Venkaiah Naidu at Vigyan Bhavan New Delhi.[3][4][5]

Turning to politics in 2002, Singh joined the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party and won the assembly elections from Heingang. He retained the seat in 2007 contesting with an Indian National Congress ticket after joining the party in 2003. Serving as the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, he quit the party in 2016 before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2017, he retained his seat from Heingang again and was named the Chief Minister after his party gained Coalition and formed the government.[6] In 2022 he once again retained his seat from Heingang. He has won the Heingang assembly consituency since 2002. Under Mr. Singh’s leadership that the BJP not only increased its seat share in the Manipur Assembly, from 21 (in 2017) to 32 (in 2022), but had also managed to weather several storms while running a minority government in the last five years.[7]

Early career[edit]

He began his career as a footballer and got recruited in the Border Security Force (BSF) playing for its team in domestic competitions. He resigned from the BSF and turned to journalism. Despite having had no formal training and experience, he began the vernacular daily Naharolgi Thoudang in 1992 and worked as the editor till 2001.[1]

Political career[edit]

Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party[edit]

In 2002, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manipur, as the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party (DRPP) candidate in the constituency Heingang.

Indian National Congress[edit]

He later joined the Indian National Congress.[8] He was appointed Minister of State of Vigilance in the Manipur state government in May 2003.[9]

In 2007 he retained his Assembly seat, contesting on behalf of the Indian National Congress.[10] He was later appointed as the Minister of Irrigation & Flood Control and Youth Affairs & Sports in the State Government. In 2012 he again retained his Assembly seat for the third consecutive term.

In September 2015, Biren stated that the recently passed bill in the Manipur Legislative Assembly to protect indigenous peoples would not harm any community in the state.[11]

In October 2016, Biren resigned from the Manipur Legislative Assembly and the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, this came after revolt against Okram Ibobi Singh, the then Chief Minister of Manipur.[12][13][14][15]

Bharatiya Janata Party[edit]

Singh formally joined the BJP on 17 October 2016 and later became the Spokesperson and Co-convener of the Election Management Committee of BJP Manipur Pradesh. He won the 2017 Manipur Legislative Assembly Election from Heingang Assembly Constituency.

As Chief Minister[edit]

In March 2017, he was elected as leader of the BJP Legislature Party in Manipur and with a majority of MLAs having been presented to the Governor, he was sworn in as Chief Minister of Manipur on 15 March 2017.[16] He is the first-ever BJP Chief Minister in Manipur.

In January 2018, he laid the foundation stone for the new academic building of Manipur Public School. The project is undertaken by Manipur Minorities and OBC Economic Development Society (MOBEDS). The cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 10.80 crore under the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs and will include new classrooms, headmaster's room, common rooms, library, laboratories, toilets, and separate hostels for boys and girls.[17][18]

On April 20, 2018, Singh launched the First State-Level Ginger Festival[19] at Parbung in Pherzawl District. The festival will remain one of Singh's legacies in the promotion of agriculture in the hill district which is one of the most backward in the state. Farmers have reported that since 2018 they are able to sell their organic ginger throughout the year.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic in India, Manipur became the third State to declare itself coronavirus free after the two patients who had tested positive successfully recovered from the virus[20][21]

On 17 June 2020, 9 MLAs supporting the N. Biren Singh led government in Manipur revolted against him and withdrew support from his government blaming him for lack of action during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the vote of confidence, he was one of the eight MLAs who had skipped the assembly proceedings defying the party whip for the trust vote. All member resigned from Indian National Congress and later joined Bharatiya Janata Party in presence of Ram Madhav, Baijayant Panda and Chief Minister of Manipur Biren Singh.[22][23][24][25]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 "SHRI NONGTHOMBAM BIREN". manipurassembly.nic.in. Archived from the original on 14 May 2017. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  2. "A default choice — On return of Biren Singh as Manipur CM". The Hindu. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  3. "Manipur CM Biren Singh gets 'Champions of Change' award.He is also known as Mr. Banned of Manipur for banning to much internet in Manipur". The New Indian Express.
  4. "VP Naidu confers 'Champions of Change' award to Manipur CM - Times of India". The Times of India.
  5. "Manipur CM Conferred Champions of Change 2018 Award » Northeast Today". Northeast Today. 27 December 2018.
  6. Singh, Bikash (15 March 2017). "Biren Singh: From BSF barracks to Manipur's Chief Minister". The Economic Times. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  7. "A default choice — On return of Biren Singh as Manipur CM". The Hindu. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  8. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 May 2005. Retrieved 5 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "The Telegraph - North East". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  10. Election Commission of India: Statistical Report, 2007 Manipur Legislative Assembly election[permanent dead link]
  11. "Govt Bills will not harm the interest of any community in India: MLA Biren: 14th sep15 ~ E-Pao! Headlines". e-pao.net. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  12. Congress starts rapprochement to bring back Nongthombam Biren
  13. "Biren to join us on Oct 15: Sarma - Times of India". indiatimes.com. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  14. "Senior Manipur Congress Leader Biren Singh Resigns from Party » Northeast Today". northeasttoday.in. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  15. "Manipur senior Cong leader Biren quits". Deccan Herald. 7 October 2016. Retrieved 31 March 2018.
  16. "BJP names N Biren Singh as chief minister candidate for Manipur". 13 March 2017.
  17. "Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh lays the foundation stone for the new academic building of Manipur Public School". Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  18. "Manipur CM Conferred Champions of Change 2018 Award » Northeast Today". Northeast Today. 27 December 2018.
  19. "First ginger festival launched". www.ifp.co.in. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  20. "Prohibitory orders issued in Bengaluru to enforce lockdown".
  21. "Manipur is now a coronavirus free state: CM Biren Singh". 20 April 2020.
  22. "Manipur CM Arrives in Delhi, to Induct Seven Congress Leaders Into BJP". The Wire. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  23. "'Extend my warmest welcome', says Manipur CM after former Congress MLAs join BJP". Hindustan Times. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  24. "5 Manipur MLAs who resigned from Cong join BJP in Delhi". India Today. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  25. "Five former Manipur Congress MLAs join BJP in New Delhi". Northeast Now. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
Political offices
Preceded by
Okram Ibobi Singh
Chief Minister of Manipur
15 March 2017 – Present
Succeeded by
Incumbent