Chief Minister N. Biren, who heads the BJP-led coalition government, has expressed happiness over the outcome of the bypolls in Manipur. The elections to five Assembly constituencies were held on November 7. However, in the Singhat Assembly constituency in Churachandpur district, Ginsawnhao was declared elected as independent candidate Chingthang withdrew his nomination papers.
Mr. Biren said, “The BJP had campaigned saying the party stands for peace and development. I am happy that people had accepted the campaign positively.”
Manipur bypolls: BJP wins 2 seats, Independent 1
Speaker Yumnam Khemchand had announced that 15 Assembly seats fell vacant following some disqualifications and resignations. However, the bypolls could be held only to five seats in view of the court cases filed by the MLAs concerned.
In the Wangoi seat in Thoubal district, Agriculture Minister Oinam Lukhoi of the BJP won by securing 10,841 votes against his nearest National People’s Party candidate K. Loken who bagged 10,628 votes.
In the Wangjing Tentha constituency, Ponam Brojen (BJP) won by securing 15,147 votes. His nearest rival of INC M. Hemanta polled 13,587 votes.
Though Mr. Lukhoi was elected on the Congress ticket, he recently resigned along with five other Congress MLAs and joined the BJP.
In the Lilong constituency, independent Y. Antas Khan defeated former Minister Abdul Nasir, who also contested as independent, by securing 16,928 votes. Mr. Nasir secured 13,898 votes.
There were inordinate delays in the counting and other preparations in the Saitu Assembly constituency. Ngamthang Haokip, former Minister of the BJP, was involved in a straight fight with Lamthang Haokip (INC). There have been processions and sit-ins demanding repoll in some polling stations on the charge that it was not election but ‘selection’.
The INC candidate and his supporters alleged that some armed persons, who came overground after signing the suspension of operations papers, had threatened the party workers. He alleged that his workers and agents had been detained by police on cooked-up charges and demanded their immediate release. Though the ECI is yet to make a formal declaration, Mr. Ngamthang Haokip is poised to win by a margin of 7,661 votes.
