Manipur CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh, with deputy chief ministers Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi (Photo: PMOIndia/X)

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, along with his two deputies, Losii Dikho and Nemcha Kipgen.This was the first meeting of the chief minister and his two deputies with the prime minister after assuming the charge of Manipur on February 4.All three leaders from the hill state have already met Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday.According to a statement from the CM’s office, Shah discussed steps to be taken up by the new govt to remove barriers between different communities and assured the Manipur leaders of all possible help from the Centre to bring peace and normalcy back in the state.BJP’s Yumnam Khemchand Singh was sworn in as CM of Manipur on February 4, reinstating the NDA government along with Kuki legislator Nemcha Kipgen and Naga MLA Losii Dikho as his deputies, marking a fresh spin on shared governance in a multi-ethnic state riven by the Meitei-Kuki conflict.Governor AK Bhalla also administered the oath of office to BJP’s Konthoujam Govindas and Khuraijam Loken Singh of NPP as cabinet ministers at the Lok Bhavan ceremony, which ended almost a year of President’s rule since N Biren Singh resigned over criticism of the previous government’s handling of the violence that erupted in May 2023.Khemchand Singh, a former assembly speaker from the state’s majority Meitei community, said there was nothing he wanted more than to fulfil the faith reposed in him by PM Modi and home minister Amit Shah.Manipur has 36 communities. Our hope rests on all of them to help establish a peaceful atmosphere,” CM Khemchand Singh had told reporters.Khemchand, elected leader of the BJP legislature party had called on the governor along with central observer Tarun Chugh, BJP’s northeast coordinator Sambit Patra and ex-CM Biren Singh, among others, to stake a claim to form the government.