IMPHAL/GUWAHATI: Manipur and Nagaland, where bypolls for seven seats were held, returned a mixed bag of electoral fortunes to BJP, which is in power through alliances in both the states. For Congress, it was a total collapse though.
If it was a near clean sweep for BJP in Manipur after it won four of the five seats it had contested, the saffron party drew nil in neighbouring Nagaland where it had contested in one. BJP’s only solace in Nagaland comes from the victory of Medo Yhokha, the candidate of its senior ally Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in the government. Yhokha won from the Southern Angami-I seat.
Speaking to the media Yhokha said, “A huge responsibility lies ahead.” Lirimong Sangtam, BJP’s candidate in the Pungro-Kiphire seat in Nagaland, finished fourth. In this seat, the contest was mainly between three Independent candidates in which Independent Yangseo Sangtam emerged victorious. Former minister Md Nasir Khan, who was in fray as an Independent candidate and backed by BJP in the Muslim-dominated Lilong constituency of Manipur, was defeated by Independent Y Antas Khan.
Biren: People of Manipur have shown faith in BJP once again
BJP’s Ginsuanhau won the Singhat seat in Churachandpur district of Manipur unopposed while polls were held in four seats — Lilong and Wangjing Tentha in Thobual, Wangoi in Imphal West and Saitu in Kangpokpi. With the four seats in its kitty, BJP’s strength in the 60-member Manipur assembly has now increased to 23.
In his Facebook post, chief minister N Biren Singh said, “We won 4 out of 5 seats — BJP Manipur contested only in 4 seats in Manipur assembly bypolls. Once again, the people of Manipur have shown their trust in the principles and ideology of BJP and the able leadership of of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji. My sincere thanks to all the people who have voted for the right candidates and made this happen.”
Echoing Biren, Manipur unit BJP vice-president N Nimbus Singh told this reporter that the people’s mandate in these bypolls is an indicator for the party to win comfortably and come to power in the next assembly polls to be held in 2022. “Now, we have enough strength to stay strong to run the government,” Nimbus said, adding that the CM put in his best to make the party shine in the bypolls.
All three successful BJP candidates — agriculture minister Oinam Lukhoi Singh , Paonam Brojen and Ngamthang Haokip — were among six former Congress MLAs who resigned as party and legislative members before joining the saffron party during the recent political crisis. The bypolls were necessitated following their resignations.
Lukhoi defeated his nearest rival Kh Loken of the government’s coalition partner NPP by a narrow margin of 257 votes in Wangoi turf . He got 10,960 votes and Loken secured 10,703 votes. Congress candidate Salam Joy stood third.
In Wangjing Tentha, Brojen won the polls by 15,321 votes against his nearest rival M Hemanta of Congress who got 13,808 votes. The Saitu seat saw Ngamthang emerging victorious with 24,394 votes. He defeated his only rival Congress candidate Lamtinthang Haokipwho who got 12,250 votes.
The current BJP legislators’ tally of 23 include one seat won by M Rameshwar Singh in the 2017 assembly polls from Kakching assembly constituency. Following an election petition filed by him, the Manipur high court on Thursday last declared his election. The coalition partners of the BJP-led government include 4 MLAs each from NPP and NPF, one each from TMC and LJP and an Independent.