Sapam Kunjakeswor Singh (Sapam Keba)

Sapam Kunjakeswor Singh, also known as Sapam Keba, is a politician from the Indian state of Manipur. He is the incumbent Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) representing the Patsoi Assembly Constituency in the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly. He previously represented the same constituency from 2007 to 2012 in the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

Early Political Involvement

In the early 2000s, Sapam Keba and his associates founded the political organization “Progressive Committee Patsoi Kendra”, with the objective of fostering the holistic development of the Patsoi constituency. In the 2002 Assembly Election, this organization supported Moirangthem Nabadwip Singh, the CPI candidate, who went on to secure victory in the constituency. As the 2007 Assembly Election approached, there was growing demand among his supporters for Sapam Keba to contest the polls directly. After much deliberation, he entered the fray as an Independent candidate. Among his opponents was veteran leader Dr. L. Chandramani Singh, a former Deputy Chief Minister and Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. Sapam Keba achieved a notable victory, defeating Dr. Chandramani Singh by a margin of 1,644 votes. His unexpected success earned him the title of “Giant Killer” in the local media.

Legislative Tenure (2007–2012)

Although elected as an Independent MLA, Sapam Keba faced considerable challenges. The state government was then led by Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh of the Indian National Congress (INC), which enjoyed a comfortable majority. With both the state and central governments under the Congress, Sapam Keba encountered resistance, and several of his proposed developmental projects were sidelined. Furthermore, state machinery often displayed hostility towards him. Despite these constraints, his tenure from 2007 to 2012 witnessed steady developmental progress in the Patsoi constituency, a period remembered by many as one of constructive change.

The 2012 Assembly Election

In 2012, Sapam Keba contested on an All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) ticket, directly challenging the INC. Although his vote share remained largely consistent with the support he had received in 2007, several factors contributed to his defeat.
1. The strong pro-Congress wave across the state.
2. Consolidation of anti-Keba votes, which included support bases of both the Communists and Dr. L. Chandramani Singh.
3. Chandramani Singh’s votes dropped significantly from over 7,000 in 2007 to 2,515 in 2012, suggesting a shift that ultimately weakened Sapam Keba’s chances. These dynamics led to his electoral loss, even though his loyal voter base remained intact.

Association with the BJP

After the 2012 setback and the AITC’s weak performance in Manipur, Sapam Keba explored alternative political platforms. In December 2013, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of Tapir Gao, former MP from Arunachal Pradesh and then BJP Manipur in-charge, along with Th. Chaoba Singh, former Union Minister and BJP Manipur President. Notably, his decision to join the BJP came at a time when the party had limited influence in Manipur and even before Narendra Modi was declared its Prime Ministerial candidate. Within the BJP, Sapam Keba rose to become an executive member of BJP Manipur Pradesh and later served as a core-committee member. Despite assurances from state leadership regarding candidate selection based on winnability, he was denied a BJP ticket for the 2017 election.

The 2017 Assembly Election

Denied a ticket by the BJP, Sapam Keba joined the North East India Development Party (NEIDP) and contested the 2017 elections. In a closely fought contest, he narrowly lost to incumbent Congress Minister AK. Mirabai Devi by only 114 votes. The BJP candidate in the constituency fared poorly, securing just 3,173 votes and forfeiting the deposit, further underscoring Sapam Keba’s strength as a candidate.

Return to the BJP and 2022 Victory

On 15 July 2021, Sapam Keba resigned from NEIDP. He formally rejoined the BJP on 24 October 2021, in the presence of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and BJP State President A. Sharda Devi. In the 2022 Manipur Assembly Election, Sapam Keba secured the BJP ticket for Patsoi constituency. The contest turned into a triangular fight between the BJP, INC, and NPP. Sapam Keba emerged victorious, defeating former Congress Minister AK. Mirabai Devi. His victory coincided with the BJP’s overall success in Manipur, where the party won 32 out of 60 seats, securing a majority to form the government.