Nongthombam Biren Singh

Nongthombam Biren is a national level footballer turned journalist turned politician from Manipur, India. In 2002, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Manipur, as the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party candidate in the constituency Heingang. He later joined the Indian National Congress (INC)In May 2003 he was appointed Minister of State of Vigilance in the Manipur state government. In 2007 he retained his Assembly seat, contesting on behalf of the Indian National Congress. He was later appointed as the Minister of Irrigation and Flood Control in the State Government.In 2012 he again retained his Assembly seat for the third consecutive term. On 13 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 Chief Ministers of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh.N.Biren formally joined the BJP on October 17, 2016 and later became the Spokesperson and Co-convener of the Election Management Committee of BJP Manipur Pradesh. He will be contesting the 2017 Manipur Legislative Assembly Election as a candidate of the BJP from Heingang Assembly Constituency and is regarded as a strong contender of the top post in the State Assembly if the BJP come to power in Manipur after the 2017 Election.