The Congress which had emerged as the single largest party in the 2017 assembly election in Manipur with 28 seats produced one of its worst performances this time winning only five constituencies that relegated it to the fourth position, as per the Election Commission data.
The Janata Dal (United) did not win a single seat in the last election but it bagged six seats, one more than the Congress which had ruled the North-eastern state for 15 years in a row since 2002.
The vote share of the Congress and the JD(U) is 16.83 per cent and 10.77 per cent. While the Naga People’s Front also won five seats, the National People’s Party emerged victorious in seven seats to secure the second position. The BJP bagging 37.83 per cent of the votes polled secured the majority on its own winning . The saffron party was running the government in the state with several regional parties.
Congress suffers crushing defeats in UP, Uttarakhand, Manipur; fails to retain Punjab
While the BJP retained power for the second consecutive term winning 32 seats in the 60-member assembly, heavyweight candidates of the grand old party lost to the saffron party nominees in the election. State Congress president and former minister Nameirakpam Loken Singh who had won consecutively from Nambol constituency since 2002 was defeated by the BJP’s Th Basanta Singh by a margin of 3,060 votes.
Former three-time deputy chief minister Gaikhangam Gangmei too lost from Nungba seat as BJP nominee D Gangmei, a fresh face, beat him by a margin of 3,786 votes.
However, former three times CM O Ibobi Singh and his son O Surjakumar managed to pull off victories from Thoubal and Khangabo constituencies respectively.
While Ibobi Singh defeated his nearest BJP rival by 2,543 votes, his son’s victory margin is much bigger – 7,803.
The JD(U) which shares power with the BJP in Bihar fought independently in Manipur and won six seats.
Former DGP LM Khaute won from Churachandpur seat defeating his nearest BJP rival V Hangkhanlian by a margin of 624 votes.
The party also won in Thangmeiband, Wangkhei, Tipaimukh, Lilong and Jiribam. However, Thounaojam Brinda, a former police officer well known for her campaign against drug lords of Manipur, lost the electoral battle. Among five candidates in the fray in Yaiskul seat, the JD(U) nominee secured the third position.
