Exactly 20 years after he joined politics, Nongthombam Biren Singh, the former footballer and journalist-turned chief minister of Manipur, has led BJP to a position where it is set to form the government for a second consecutive term.

The 61-year-old has been widely credited for bringing peace and bridging the divide between the people of the valley and the hills, in this insurgency-hit, multi-ethnic state during his tenure as chief minister in the past five years.