Coming from the Indian National Congress, Mairembam Koireng Singh became the first Chief Minister of Manipur and he governed the state in three terms between 1963 and 1969.
[1] Singh played a pivotal role in the Satyagraha campaign concerning the Lord Thangjing Temple issue, successfully advocating for the transfer of control over religious activities to the public in 1952.
In 1944, following a call from Subhas Chandra Bose (Netaji), Singh joined the Indo-Japanese Progress Group and committed to supporting the broader war effort.
During the World War II, on the morning of 14 April 1944, Koireng, along with leaders such as Leiphrakpam Sanaba, Kumam Kanglen, and Meinam Mani, welcomed the Indo-Japanese Advanced Party at Tronglaobi (Moirang).
Following these discussions, INA Colonel Saukat Ali Malik hoisted the Tricolour flag for the first time, marking Moirang as the first independent territory in India.
During this period, Koireng provided significant support to the Azad Hind Fauz (Indian National Army) by supplying food grains from his father's granary, without parental consent, to sustain thousands of soldiers for three months.
After the Independence of India in 1947, the custodianship of the Ibudhou Thangjing Temple, traditionally governed by the King of Moirang, remained unchanged under the Merger Agreement of 1949.
The Meitei King dispatched a contingent of riflemen under SP L Gopal and Sub-Inspector L Jadumani to suppress the revolt, enforcing Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure around the temple.
The chronological order of the elections Koireng fought in his life may be summarised as follows: Award- Tabra Patra, 1972 (awarded to the Freedom Fighters of Azad Hind Fauz).