Manipur, a princely state in northeastern India, merged with the Indian Union on October 15, 1949. This followed the signing of the Merger Agreement between the Maharaja of Manipur and the Government of India.
The integration aimed to unify the diverse regions of India post-independence. Manipur became a full-fledged state on January 21, 1972. As of February 9, 2025, the Chief Minister of Manipur was N. Biren Singh.
He resigned amid ongoing ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities, which had resulted in significant loss of life and displacement.
His resignation came ahead of a scheduled legislative assembly session where an opposition no-confidence motion was anticipated.
In this article, we will discuss the list of all Chief Ministers of Manipur from 1963 to 2025, highlighting their tenures and contributions to the state's development.
Check Out| List of Chief Ministers of Gujarat (1960-2025)
History of Manipur’s Merger with India: How and Why It Happened
Manipur, a princely state with a rich cultural history, merged with the Indian Union on September 21, 1949.
After India gained independence in 1947, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, India's first Home Minister, began integrating over 500 princely states into the new Indian union, including Manipur.
Events Leading to the Merger
- Dissent and Concerns: On March 23, 1949, the Praja Santi Party sent a memorandum to the Assam Governor, with copies to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, expressing their opposition to the proposed merger with India.
- Conflicting Opinions: Assam Governor Sri Prakasa informed Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel that the general sentiment in Manipur was against the merger, with the state Congress being the only proponent.
- Maharaja's Dilemma: Maharaja Bodhachandra was invited to Shillong in 1949 and asked to sign the merger agreement. He requested a consultation with his council of ministers, but this was dismissed by the Indian government.
The Merger Agreement
- Signing of the Agreement: On September 21, 1949, the Maharaja signed the merger agreement, ceding full authority over the state to the Indian government.
- House Arrest: The Maharaja was put under house arrest and was barred from communicating with the outside world until he signed the agreement. Simultaneously, Indian forces isolated the Maharaja from his people by encircling the palace and seizing control of communication lines in Imphal.
- Formal Announcement: The government of India officially announced on October 15, 1949, that Manipur had become a part of India.
Aftermath
- Part C State Status: Manipur was reclassified as a Part C state, a designation that signified the lowest political status within India, and was placed under a chief commissioner's rule, which meant that its Assembly was dissolved.
- Delayed Statehood: Manipur did not get its own Assembly again until 1963 and only became a full-fledged state in 1972, after the enactment of the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.
- Disputed Legality: Many in Manipur still question the legality of the merger agreement, with some arguing that the Maharaja was not competent to sign it without the approval of the State Assembly and Cabinet.
List of All Chief Ministers of Manipur (1963-2025)
Here’s the list of the chief ministers of Manipur from 1963 till now. The list includes:
| No. | Name | Term of Office | Duration |
| 0 | Maharajkumar Priyobarta Singh | 1948 – 1949 | 1 year, 0 days |
| 1 | Mairembam Koireng Singh | 1 July 1963 – 11 Jan 1967 | 3 years, 194 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 12 Jan 1967 – 19 Mar 1967 | 66 days |
| (1) | Mairembam Koireng Singh | 20 Mar 1967 – 4 Oct 1967 | 198 days |
| 2 | Longjam Thambou Singh | 13 Oct 1967 – 24 Oct 1967 | 11 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 25 Oct 1967 – 18 Feb 1968 | 116 days |
| (1) | Mairembam Koireng Singh | 19 Feb 1968 – 16 Oct 1969 | 1 year, 239 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 17 Oct 1969 – 22 Mar 1972 | 2 years, 157 days |
| 3 | Mohammed Alimuddin | 23 Mar 1972 – 27 Mar 1973 | 1 year, 4 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 28 Mar 1973 – 3 Mar 1974 | 340 days |
| (3) | Mohammed Alimuddin | 4 Mar 1974 – 9 July 1974 | 127 days |
| 4 | Yangmaso Shaiza | 10 July 1974 – 5 Dec 1974 | 148 days |
| 5 | Rajkumar Dorendra Singh | 6 Dec 1974 – 15 May 1977 | 2 years, 160 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 16 May 1977 – 28 Jun 1977 | 43 days |
| (4) | Yangmaso Shaiza | 29 June 1977 – 13 Nov 1979 | 2 years, 137 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 14 Nov 1979 – 13 Jan 1980 | 60 days |
| (5) | Rajkumar Dorendra Singh | 14 Jan 1980 – 26 Nov 1980 | 317 days |
| 6 | Rishang Keishing | 27 Nov 1980 – 27 Feb 1981 | 92 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 28 Feb 1981 – 18 Jun 1981 | 110 days |
| (6) | Rishang Keishing | 19 June 1981 – 3 Mar 1988 | 6 years, 258 days |
| 7 | Rajkumar Jaichandra Singh | 4 Mar 1988 – 22 Feb 1990 | 1 year, 355 days |
| 8 | Rajkumar Ranbir Singh | 23 Feb 1990 – 6 Jan 1992 | 1 year, 317 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 7 Jan 1992 – 7 Apr 1992 | 91 days |
| (5) | Rajkumar Dorendra Singh | 8 Apr 1992 – 10 Apr 1993 | 1 year, 2 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 31 Dec 1993 – 13 Dec 1994 | 347 days |
| (6) | Rishang Keishing | 14 Dec 1994 – 15 Dec 1997 | 3 years, 1 day |
| 9 | Wahengbam Nipamacha Singh | 16 Dec 1997 – 14 Feb 2001 | 3 years, 60 days |
| 10 | Radhabinod Koijam | 15 Feb 2001 – 1 Jun 2001 | 106 days |
| – | Vacant (President's rule) | 2 Jun 2001 – 6 Mar 2002 | 277 days |
| 11 | Okram Ibobi Singh | 7 Mar 2002 – 1 Mar 2007 | 5 years |
| 2 Mar 2007 – 5 Mar 2012 | 5 years | ||
| 6 Mar 2012 – 14 Mar 2017 | 5 years | ||
| 12 | N. Biren Singh | 15 Mar 2017 – 21 Mar 2022 | 5 years, 6 days |
| 21 Mar 2022 – 9 Feb 2025 | Ongoing |
Who is the Current Chief Minister of Manipur?
Nongthombam Biren Singh a.k.a N. Biren Singh was the current CM of Manipur, who recently resigned from his position on February 9, 2025, amid ongoing ethnic violence and political tensions in the state.
Why Did N. Biren Singh Resign as Manipur’s Chief Minister?
- Political Pressure: Singh's resignation comes in the face of a potential no-confidence motion from the opposition Congress party and dissidence within the state BJP. Some BJP MLAs were reportedly prepared to support the no-confidence motion.
- Loss of Support: Singh appeared to have lost the backing of the BJP's central leadership, which influenced his decision to step down. Dissident MLAs within the party had been appealing for his replacement.
- Ethnic Violence: The state has been dealing with ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023, which led to repeated calls for Singh's resignation. The accusations of governance failures and his handling of the ethnic conflict also contributed to the pressure.
- Central Intervention: The BJP-led central government has initiated steps to increase border security and control the law and order situation in Manipur. The party's high command didn't want the Manipur situation to overshadow the growing positive political narrative.
- Previous Resignation Attempt: Singh had previously attempted to resign in 2023 due to the ethnic violence but was prevented by supporters.
- Events Leading to Resignation: Before resigning, Singh met with top BJP leaders, including Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda, in Delhi. After a two-hour discussion, it was decided that he would step down.
Who is N. Biren Singh?
Nongthombam Biren Singh, born on January 1, 1961, is an Indian politician, former footballer, and journalist.
He has been serving as the 12th Chief Minister of Manipur since 2017. Singh was first elected to the Manipur Legislative Assembly in 20024. He served multiple tenures. He won the 2017 Manipur Legislative Assembly Election from Heingang Assembly Constituency.
In March 2017, he was elected as leader of the BJP Legislature Party in Manipur and sworn in as Chief Minister on March 15, 2017.
He is the first-ever BJP Chief Minister in Manipur. Singh was re-elected as chief minister in 2022 after the BJP secured a majority in the state assembly elections.
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