Manipur result highlights: BJP takes a giant leap, finds room in a hung house

GUWAHATI: The assembly election in Manipur threw up a hung house, with the Congress emerging as the single-largest party, winning 28 of the 60 seats, and the Bharatiya Janata Party bagging 21 seats.

The BJP has bet big on Manipur to strengthen its presence in the northeast following its victory in Assam last year and after forming the government in Arunachal Pradesh.

Both the Congress and the BJP have started discussions with other parties to cobble together a majority. The Congress, which ruled the northeastern state for three terms, is confident of roping in support from the Trinamool Congress, which won one seat, and an independent candidate.

Manipur Pradesh Congress president TN Haokip said the Congress will form the next government with the help of “like-minded secular and regional parties.” The party’s tally dropped from 42 previously.

Admitting that the Congress got fewer seats than expected, he said the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the BJP’s social media had worked. “RSS people have been camping in the state for the last three months,” Haokip said.

Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh won from Thoubal, where rights activist and People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance party nominee Irom Sharmila received only 90 votes.

The National People’s Party, an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and the opposition party in Meghalaya, made its electoral debut in Manipur and won four seats, while the Naga People’s Front also was victorious in four seats.

“We are a partner of the NDA and after the death of my father PA Sangma, the by-poll to Tura Lok Sabha seat was held where Conrad K Sangma fought as the NDA candidate and wrested the Tura Lok Sabha seat.

Let us see, we will make our stand clear,” James Sangma, national executive member of the National People’s Party and a Meghalaya MLA, told ET.

The Trinamool Congress and the Lok Jan Shakti Party won one seat each and an independent candidate bagged one seat.