Nongthombam Biren Singh (born on 1st January, 1961) is an Indian politician and former footballer and journalist. He is the present Chief Minister of Manipur.

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.

Turning to politics in 2002, Singh joined the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party and won the assembly elections from Heingang Assembly Constituency. He retained the seat in 2007, contesting from Indian National Congress ticket after joining the party in 2003. He continued to serve the state in the capacity of a Cabinet Minister till February 2012. He quit the party in 2016, before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. In 2017, he retained his seat from Heingang Assembly Constituency again and was named the 12th Chief Minister of Manipur. He won the floor test in the floor of the Assembly with the support of 33 MLAs of BJP and its allies.

Political career.

In 2002, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manipur, as the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party candidate in the Heingang Assembly Constituency. He later joined the Indian National Congress.

In March 20th, 2002, he moved a Private Members Resolution for an unanimous decision by the House to declare that the People of Manipur irrespective of caste and tribes will live together hence-forth without any discrimination by forgetting all the past mistakes/misdeeds.

In May 2003, he was appointed Minister of State of Vigilance in the Manipur state Government. Also he was given the portfolio of Forest & Environment Minister (Ind. Charge) and held the position of Chairman, Manipur Pollution Control Board as well.

In 2007, he retained his Assembly seat, contesting on behalf of the Indian National Congress. He was later appointed as the Minister of Irrigation & Flood Control and Youth Affairs & Sports and Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution (CAF&PD) 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.

In October 2016, Biren resigned from the Manipur Legislative Assembly and the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, this came after revolt against the then Chief Minister of Manipur, Okram lbobi Singh.

N. Biren Singh formally joined the BJP on 17th 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 for the record 4th time.

In March 2017, he was elected as the leader of the BJP Legislatures 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 15th March 2017. He is the first ever BJP Chief Minister in Manipur.