With the win of 32 seats in 60 Assembly seats, BJP is set to form its own government for the first time in Manipur.
Imphal: In a historic win, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured the majority mark of 32 in the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly Elections 2022.
BJP fought the elections with GDP (Growth, Development and Peace) as its poll agenda and its good governance in the last five years of rule in the state. The party decided to go solo without a pre-poll alliance.
“The historic victory that we have achieved today is a testament of the people's faith in the dynamic leadership of Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji and citizen-centric governance. My heartiest congratulations to all the Karyakartas of BJP,” Chief Minister, N Biren Singh tweeted after BJP secured a majority mark of 32 in the 60-member Legislative Assembly. The Chief Minister won from Heingang by 18271 with votes (78.54% vote share) for the six consecutive time.
Speaker, Yumnam Khemchand Singh (Singjamei); Cabinet Ministers–Thongam Bishwajit Singh (Thongju); Thokchom Satyabarta Singh (Yaiskul) and Sorokhaibam Rajen Singh (Lamsang) retained their seats, while Letpao Haokip won from Tengnoupal assembly seat reserved for Scheduled Tribe.
In a bipolar fight between BJP and Congress, former IPS officer Thounaojam Basantakumar Singh defeated Nameirakpam Loken Singh of Congress, who is also the President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee with a thumping majority of 3060 votes. Retired IAS officer Khwairakpam Raghumani Singh of BJP defeated former Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh from Imphal West’s Uripok assembly constituency with a margin of 909 votes. Congress strongman, Gaikhangam who is also a member of Congress Working Committee and former Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur, lost his Nungba seat in the hands of another former IAS officer of BJP, Dinganglung Gangmei.
BJP candidate RK Imo Singh, who is also the son-in-law of Manipur’s Chief Minister, retained his Sagolband seat consecutively for the third time.
Notably, among the 17 women candidates in the fray, three from BJP and one from NPP won in the elections. BJP’s SS. Olish won from Chandel with a momentous vote of 27341 (79.06% vote share). Irengbam Nalini Devi of the National People’s Party (NPP) won from Oinam assembly seats.
In Thoubal electoral district, which is considered a Congress bastion, the BJP won Heirok (Thokchom Radheshyam Singh); Wangjing-Tentha (Paonam Brojen Singh), Wabagai (Dr Usham Deben Singh) and Hiyanglam (Dr Yumnam Radheshyam Singh). Former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and his son Surjakumar Okram won Thoubal and Khangbok seats respectively from Congress ticket.
The newly formed Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) contested in two Kuki dominated assembly constituencies and won Saikul in Kangpokpi and Singhat in Churachandpur districts. Naga People’s Front (NPF) makes a clean sweep in the three assembly seats under Ukhrul electoral districts. Unbelievably, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) won six seats and three independent candidates won in the elections. The Congress that ruled Manipur for 15 years had been decimated to only 5 seats, while NPP, JD-U and NPF won 7, 6 and 5 seats respectively.
With the winning of the election, the Governor of Manipur shall invite the BJP to stake claim to form a government soon.
