Manipur Election Results: CM N Biren Singh wins by over 17,000 votes on Heingang seat

The BJP, which won 19 seats and leading in 12 others in the 60-member Manipur Assembly, is heading for a returning to power in the state for the second consecutive term. The Bharatiya Janata Party's estranged ally Naga People's Front (NPF), which won and leading in five seats, has indicated to support the saffron party in forming the government.

The ruling BJP coalition looked set to return to power in the insurgency-hit state of Manipur, as it bagged 12 seats and was leading in 12 other constituencies, as per the latest ECI data. Chief Minister N Biren Singh defeated his nearest Congress rival P Saratchandra Singh in Heingang seat. Nitish Kumar's JD (U) bagged three seats and was leading in three constituencies. Congress and National People's Party (NPP) won two seats each, while two Independent candidates secured victory. The Kuki People's Alliance won one seat and was leading in another. The NPP and Naga People's Front were ahead in five seats each. Though both parties did not have a pre-poll alliance with the BJP, they were part of the ruling coalition. The Congress, which ruled the state before the BJP-led coalition came to power in 2017, was leading in two seats. 

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Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh defeated his nearest Congress rival Pangeijam Saratchandra Singh in Heingang. 

K Onkholer, husband of ace boxer Mary Kom, is trailing in Saikot assembly constituency. Onkholer had said that he decided to step into politics after witnessing the backwardness of his constituency.

After taking stock of the COVID-19 situation in states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand, the Election Commission of India has decided to relax the guidelines on victory processions during and after the counting and has withdrawn the banket ban on victory procession.However, this relaxation will be subject to existing instructions of State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA) and preventive measures, imposed by district authorities concerned, Election Commission of India further informed. The official statement by the commission read, "Election Commission of India had announced General Elections to the Legislative Assemblies of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand on 8th January 2022. Along with the announcement of the elections, Commission also issued Revised Broad Guidelines to regulate various aspects of elections including victory processions during the period of COVID. During the period of elections as the COVID situation improved, Commission gradually relaxed the norms concerning electioneering in consultation with Union Health Ministry and State Governments."Earlier on February 22, in view of the decline in COVID cases in poll-bound states, the Election Commission lifted the restriction of 50 per cent limit of the capacity of space during meetings and rallies of political parties and candidates.On February 6, the Election Commission of India granted relaxation for holding indoor and outdoor public meetings in the five poll-bound states while sticking with the ban on roadshows, rallies, processions, and 'padyatra'.

Like the last assembly elections in 2017, Manipur once again is heading for a hung assembly with the ruling BJP, according to the latest trend, emerging as the single largest party securing 20 seats in the 60 member House. BJP's estranged ally National People's Party (NPP) has bagged seven seats. The BJP, however, is confident of forming the government in Manipur for the second term with the support of smaller parties. Political observers felt that the NPP is likely to play a crucial role in government formation. This time the NPP and BJP's another estranged ally Naga People's Front (NPF) had contested the polls separately and had fielded candidates against each other.

As counting of votes for Manipur's Assembly polls in underway, the state's ruling BJP is leading on 12 seats, while the Congress is ahead in five and Janata Dal (United) in five, according to election officials. Counting of votes for 60 assembly seats in Manipur began at 8:00 am on Thursday under tight security and strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, officials said.

Manipur CM N Biren Singh offers prayers at Shree Govindajee Temple in Imphal, on verdict day for Assembly elections.

Usham Manglem is a 25-year-old National People’s Party (NPP) candidate who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Manipur University. A resident of Kairembikhok Awang Leikai in Thoubal district, Manglem completed his Class X Boards and Class 12 from Delhi. He joined the National Students’ Union of India in Delhi in 2013 and the Manipur Pradesh Youth Congress Committee in 2018. “My passion for a good education system, proper healthcare infrastructure, empowering youth and promoting self-reliance made me enter electoral politics,” he told media.

The counting of votes is a transparent process. There is a standard operating procedure under which we conduct the counting. Authorised polling agents of the political parties are allowed to come inside the counting centre. There is no question of EVM tampering. EVMs are continuously used since 2004, in 2019 we have started using VVPAT at every polling booth. EVMs are sealed in the presence of political party agents: Sushil Chandra, Chief Election Commissioner.

As per the Manipur Chief Electoral Officer's website (https://ceomanipur.nic.in/), over 20 lakh (20,91,398) voters were eligible to exercise their franchise. During this election, the total number of polling stations in the state was 2,959. A total of 1099 polling locations and 763 polling locations were identified as "vulnerable and critical". The voting percentage was recorded at 88.69 per cent in the first phase of elections while in the second phase, it was 90.09 per cent.

The Congress manifesto promised to bring Manipur Cultural Diversity Policy, provide free critical medical treatment for children, creation of Manipur regiment and request the Centre to repeal AFSPA. During a poll rally, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra promised unemployment allowance to the youth of Manipur if her party comes to power in the state.

In its election manifesto for Manipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) promised preservation of the rights of the indigenous people, 2 extra LPG cylinders, and free electric scooty to college-going girls among others. 

Riding on their poll plank of development and improved connectivity in the state in the last five years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will try to retain the power in Manipur while the Congress-led alliance is seeking to wrest the state from the BJP and is hoping for a favourable verdict as the countdown begins for the counting of votes polled in the 2022 Assembly elections.Days ahead of the counting on March 10, the exit polls in Manipur gave a clear edge to the ruling BJP followed by Congress, a distant second. Elections for the 60-member Manipur Assembly took take place in two phases on February 28 and March 5. Ahead of the counting, proper security measures have been undertaken including the imposition of Section 144 CrPC around the counting centres to ensure that peace and tranquillity is not disturbed and counting of votes is conducted smoothly, the Chief Electoral Officer, Manipur informed.

One Nation One Election is a good suggestion, but this will need a change in the Constitution and it is to be decided in parliament. The Election Commission is fully prepared and is capable of conducting simultaneous elections, said Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra in an exclusive interview with news agency ANI. Chandra said, "According to the Constitution, all the elections should be held simultaneously. The parliament elections that are held since independence, all three of them are simultaneous elections. It is only later that sometimes the Assembly was dissolved, sometimes parliament, which disturbed the schedule. One Nation One Election is a good suggestion but this needs a change in the constitution."

Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik said that people's verdict will be in favor of the Congress in Manipur. "People's verdict will be in favor of the congress and will be forming the govt here along with the other alliance parties. Time and again exit polls have found to be wrong. We believe what came out in the exit poll is far from what we will see on March 10," he said.

In the previous polls in 2017, Manipur witnessed a hung Assembly. The BJP had secured 21 seats in 2017 and wrested power for the first time after stitching together a coalition government with the support of four NPP MLAs, four Naga People's Front (NPF) members, the lone Trinamool Congress MLA and an Independent member.  However, this time the BJP, NPP and NPF are contesting separately and have fielded candidates against each other. Congress, which governed the state for 15 consecutive years (2002-2017) and emerged as the single largest party by securing 28 seats in 2017, this time formed a Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA) after forging a pre-poll alliance with four Left parties and Janata Dal-Secular. 

The former chief minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh had exuded confidence that his party would come back to power in the state as people were fed up with "hollow promises and lies" of the BJP government. "Out of the total candidates that we have put up (53), we know the potential of each one and we strongly believe in the winning capability of 40-45 of them," he had said. However, Ibobi had added, "In case we fall short of a majority, there will be a post-poll alliance with like-minded parties."

Know about the key contestants-

• Chief Minister N Biren Singh is in the fray from the Heingang seat
• Congress leader an former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is testing his luck from Thoubal
• PWD Minister Th Biswajit Singh is in the fray from Thongju
• Govindas Konthoujam Singh, former Manipur Congress chief, who recently joined the BJP, is in the fray from Bishenpur
• Education Minister S Rajen  is in the fray from Lamshang
• Agriculture Minister O Lukhoi is in the fray from Wangoi

The term of the current Manipur government began on March 20, 2017, and is slated to end on March 19, 2022. Manipur witnessed a hung Assembly in the previous polls in 2017.

BJP ally Janata Dal (United) said on Wednesday that its five MPs will camp in Imphal to keep "vigil" on the counting of votes for the Manipur assembly polls. "If the party gets any complaints from the JD(U) candidates about any foul play during counting, the Members of Parliament shall sit in dharna in front of respective counting centres," party general secretary Afaque Ahmad Khan, its in-charge for the North East region, said in a statement. Though the JD(U) is a BJP ally, it has fought the assembly polls in states like Manipur and Uttar Pradesh on its own after its senior partner turned down its offer of an alliance. A number of former BJP leaders, several of whom quit the party after not getting tickets for the polls, have fought on the JD(U) symbol. The party has accused the BJP of poaching its MLAs in some North East states in the past. The JD(U) has also written to the Election Commission to direct electoral officers to strictly ensure that complete videography is done in counting centres, counting of postal ballots are done before the counting of EVM votes and new round of counting be taken up only after the announcement of each round of counting.
It has also sought that adequate security be provided to counting agents.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Manipur President, Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi, on Tuesday (March 9), exuded confidence over its victory in the State Assembly elections that went for polling in two phases in February this year. Devi said that BJP has set a target of bagging more than 40 seats out of a total of 60 constituencies in Manipur. "We have set a target of over 40 seats and are confident of forming a stable government. When the final results are declared, we expect the number to be 40 plus only. We haven't taken a decision on Chief Ministerial candidate and there is no point of a new CM here," Devi told news agency ANI.

130 Police Observers, 10 special observers deputed. EVMs are kept under 3-layer security, under 24×7 CCTV supervision. Serial number of each EVM has been shared with political parties, said the Election Commission of India on  March 9 ahead of vote counting.  

More than 89.3% of electors participated to vote in 60 Assemblies. The counting will start at 8:00 am sharp with postal ballots, in 41 counting halls at 12 counting centers. This will be succeded by EVM counting from 8:30 am onwards. Minimum 3-tier security, comprising of CRPF and Manipur Police, will be deployed, as per direction. 41 General Observers appointed by ECI have arrived in Manipur and are looking at counting arrangements, tomorrow they will supervise counting process with returning officers: Manipur Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agrawal.

Ahead of the polls, Manipur BJP president A Sharda Devi had predicted that the party would win over 40 seats out of a total of 60 constituencies in the 2022 assembly elections. The party has contested in all 60 seats. Earlier, in an interview with news agency PTI, she had said that this time the party has "the full confidence of winning 40-plus seats" on the back of the developmental work done by the N Biren Singh government and feedback from people on the ground.

Assembly election in Manipur were conducted in two phases on February 28 and March 5. The exit polls in Manipur gave a clear edge to the ruling BJP in forming the next government with many of them predicting that it may fall short of the halfway mark. The majority mark is 31 for the 60-member Manipur Assembly.

• According to Election Commission (EC), 671 counting observers, 130 police observers, and 10 Special Observers will be on the ground to ensure the smooth counting process. 

• EC said all strong rooms, where polled EVMs are kept, are under three-layered security with an inner cordon manned by Central Armed Forces. Concerned candidates have been watching the strong room arrangements through CCTV coverage of 24x7. 

• In poll going States, District Administration has imposed sec 144 CrPC around the counting Halls to ensure that peace and tranquillity is not disturbed.

• After each round of counting, tabulation of results in a prescribed format will be done. 

• This will be signed by RO and Observer, and a copy will be shared with the candidates. 

As the counting of votes commences for Manipur, the numbers will be available on the Election Commission's official website -  http://www.eci.gov.in. 

The counting of votes in the currently conducted 60-member Manipur Assembly will commence at 8:00 am today (March 10). The initial trends will likely emerge in the first few hours and ballot votes will be counted first. However, it is expected that the counting will further speed up as EVM votes will be counted after the counting of ballot votes is done. The counting of electronic voting machines (EVM) will commence at 8.30 am.