Exactly 20 years after he joined politics, Nongthombam Biren Singh, the former footballer and journalist-turned chief minister of Manipur, has led BJP to a position where it is set to form the government for a second consecutive term.
The 61-year-old has been widely credited for bringing peace and bridging the divide between the people of the valley and the hills, in this insurgency-hit, multi-ethnic state during his tenure as chief minister in the past five years.
The man whose initiatives -- 'Go to hills', 'Meeyamgi Numit' (People's Day on 15th of every month) and 'Hill Leaders' Day' -- has made it easier for people in far flung hamlets to access their elected leaders and top bureaucrats, is considered by many as a grassroots man.
The former footballer who later became editor of a vernacular daily Naharolgi Thoudang, has managed to strike a chord with the youth, promoting entrepreneurship through programmes such as 'Start-Up Manipur' as an alternative for young people who were being attracted to insurgency.
Singh, who started off his political journey in 2002 with the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party winning from Heingang assembly constituency, has however had a chequered political career.
After winning his maiden electoral contest, he switched to Congress and in 2003 became a Minister of State of Vigilance besides holding independent charge for Forest & Environment ministry in the then Okram Ibobi Singh-led government.
He became one of Ibobi Singh's trusted lieutenants and after retaining his assembly seat in 2007 election, was given charge of the Ministry of Irrigation & Flood Control, Youth Affairs & Sports, and Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution.
Although he retained his seat again in 2012 for a third consecutive term, Biren Singh had a fallout with Ibobi Singh, against whom he led a revolt. In October 2016 he resigned from the Manipur Legislative Assembly and the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee to join the BJP.
There he became the party spokesperson and co-convener of the Election Management Committee of BJP Manipur Pradesh. He won from the Heingang assembly constituency for a record 4th time on BJP ticket in 2017, paving the way to his becoming the chief minister.
In the last assembly election although the BJP had won only 21 seats , it managed to lure MLAs from Congress which won 28 seats and Biren Singh was sworn in as the first ever BJP Chief Minister in Manipur on March 15, 2017.
While he managed to last the five year term, he had faced internal challenges with Thongam Biswajit Singh also eyeing the chief minister's post.
It remains to be seen how N Biren Singh overcomes the challenges to his leadership in the new term.
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