Guwahati: Manipur is heading for another hung assembly, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerging as the single-largest party, according to Election Commission of India (ECI) data as of noon.
The BJP is so far leading in 21 seats (with 37.37 per cent vote share), while the Congress is leading in 3 seats (16.71 per cent). The National People’s Party (NPP) has surged ahead in 7 seats and the Naga People’s Front (NPF) in 4 seats.
Incumbent Chief Minister Biren Singh is leading from the Heingang constituency. Govindas Konthoujam, former Manipur Congress chief who defected to BJP, is leading in Bishenpur. Congress’s Okram Ibobi Singh, the longest-serving CM in the state, is leading in Thoubal. NPP leader and Deputy CM Joykumar Singh is trailing BJP’s Raghumani Singh.
Counting for some constituencies including the Wangkhei assembly constituency, where a heated contest is being fought BJP’s Henry Ibobi, Janata Dal United’s Thangjam Arunkumar and NPP’s Y. Erabot Singh, is yet to throw up results.
In the 2017 elections too, Manipur had thrown up a hung assembly.
At the time, the Congress, which is the longest-ruling party in the state, won 28 seats. The BJP won 21, the NPP and the NPF 4 seats each, and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Independents and Trinamool Congress won a seat each.
Despite coming in second, the BJP managed to clinch power after stitching together an alliance with the NPP, the NPF and the LJP.
Also read: Biren Singh did good work in Manipur, BJP’s call on CM always democratic, says Bhupender Yadav
Smaller parties surge ahead
This time, the numbers indicate that the smaller parties like the NPP and JD(U) could play a key role.
The NPP, which is helmed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, contested on 38 seats. The party also made headlines for fighting a hostile battle against the BJP, its current coalition partner.
Trends suggest that with a vote share of 16.6 per cent, NPP has surged ahead on 7 seats. NPP MLA from Arunachal Pradesh, Mutchi Mithi, who is currently in Imphal, told ThePrint: “Discussions have happened with other parties for sometime now, but we are waiting on the final results before we can take a decision.”
The NPF, whose leaders have indicated that the party is likely to form a post-poll alliance with the BJP, is leading in 4 seats.
Meanwhile, first-time contender JD(U) currently has a 11.23 per cent vote share, leading in two seats. Secretary-general of the party’s Manipur unit Dorendro Maisham said, “We are waiting on the final results before we can decide on anything.”
(Edited by Amit Upadhyaya)
Also read: The five factors that determine politics and voting behaviour in Manipur