BJP secures majority in Manipur, reduces other parties including Congress to single digits

Imphal (Manipur) [India], March 10 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a majority in Manipur Assembly elections reducing other parties to single digits and will now form the government in the state for the second consecutive term.
In the elections, the BJP went solo this time and contested all seats alone. It won 32 seats out of 60 in Manipur, Congress bagged five seats and the National People's Party has won seven seats. Other parties including the Janata Dal (United) won six seats and the Naga People's Front (5) The Kuki People's Alliance (2) and Independents bagged three seats.
BJP secured 37.83 per cent vote share, Congress 16.83 per cent, National People's Party 17.3 per cent, Janata Dal (United) 10.77 per cent, Naga People's Front 8.1 per cent and the other parties bagged 7.53 per cent vote share.
Congress has formed an alliance of six political parties and named it Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA). The coalition partners in MPSA include Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Janata Dal (Secular).
Chief Minister N Biren Singh has won by a margin of 24,814 votes from the Heingang constituency, defeating Congress candidate Pangeijam Saratchandra Singh.
Prominent Congress leader Nameirakpam Loken Singh lost to BJP candidate T Basanta Kumar Singh from Nambol Constituency by a margin of 3060 votes. Nemcha Kipgen of BJP has won from Kangpokpi constituency by a margin of 5396 votes.
Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh won by 15085 votes from the Thoubal constituency seat. He fought against BJP's Leitanthem Basanta Singh.
PWD Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh won from Thongju constituency with 15338 votes; BJP's Govindas Konthoujam Singh won from Bishenpur; Education Minister Sorokhaibam Rajen Singh from Lamshang lost to National People's Party candidate Pukhrambam Sumati Devi, Agriculture Minister O Lukhoi secured Wangoi seat. National People's Party candidate and deputy chief minister Y Joykumar Singh lost the Uripok seat.
After securing a win, the Manipur Chief Minister said that the Bharatiya Janata Party will take time to stake a claim to form a government, adding that central leaders of the party will decide the Chief Minister.
"We will take time to stake a claim to form a government, let the results be out. Our national leaders will decide on Chief Minister face, we will focus on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mantra of inclusive development," Biren Singh said.
He further said that the BJP's historic victory in Manipur is a testament to the people's faith in the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and citizen-centric governance.
"Thank you, Manipur! The historic victory that we have achieved today is a testament of the people's faith in the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and citizen-centric governance. My heartiest congratulations to all the Karyakartas of BJP," tweeted Singh.
In 2017, the BJP stunned the Congress which ruled for 15 years in Manipur as it emerged as the second-largest party winning 21 seats in the 60-member state Assembly.
The National People's Party (NPP) and Naga People's Front (NPF) bagged four seats each while the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) managed to secure only one constituency. The BJP bagged 36.28 per cent vote share while Congress received 35.11 per cent of the total vote.
Later, the BJP stitched a coalition with the NPP, NPF, and LJP to form the government under the leadership of Biren Singh. (ANI)