A day after being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Manipur, Yumnam Khemchand visited the Shri Shri Govindaji Temple and Pandit Loishang on today morning to seek blessings from Shri Shri Govindaji and other Meitei deities before beginning his day.
On the previous day, the Chief Minister had a packed schedule, which included staking claim to form a new government, addressing BJP karyakartas at the party office, and taking oath as the Chief Minister of Manipur in the evening following the revocation of President’s Rule. Later that same evening, he convened an urgent cabinet meeting.
The newly sworn-in Chief Minister appeared to have little time for rest, as he resumed work early today morning by visiting the Shri Shri Govindaji Temple to seek divine blessings. The energy displayed by Yumnam Khemchand reflected his sense of urgency to accelerate his work in order to meet the expectations of the people, as his tenure as Chief Minister is expected to be limited to about one year. Within this short period, he has shown his intent to work without wasting a single minute to bring peace and prosperity to the state, which has been facing a crisis since May 3, 2023.
After offering prayers to Shri Shri Govindaji and other ancestral deities at the temple complex, the Chief Minister said that his first priority would be the resettlement of internally displaced persons from both communities who have been staying in relief camps, through the restoration of peace and harmony.
“My serious concern is for those IDPs staying in relief camps due to the crisis that erupted on May 3, 2023. My first priority is to ensure that around 60,000 IDPs return to their respective homes by restoring peace and harmony. I know it is a challenging task, but we will make sure that peace is restored and the IDPs find relief by returning to their homes,” Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand told reporters after offering prayers at the Govindaji Temple.
When asked about the census scheduled to begin across the country from April this year, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand said that the earlier government might have taken certain decisions, and as he is yet to formally assume office, he could not comment on the matter. However, he assured that the public would be informed about the government’s stand on whether to proceed with or postpone the census after consultations with his cabinet colleagues.