Manipur: Cong set for photo finish

New Delhi: Despite having faced defeat in the two big states of Punjab and Uttarakhand, Congress seems to have regained some lost ground in Manipur and is inching towards forming the next government in the state.

According to the latest trends, the party has won 20 of the 43 results announced so far in the 60-member legislature and was leading in 13 more seats.

Independent candidates and other parties have won 20 seats—a number which will become important if no group gets a clear majority in the 60-member Assembly.

The main opposition Manipur People's Party (MPP) bagged only five seats, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) five, independents seven, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Communist Party of India (CPI) and National People's Party got two each.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has won four seats, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has won two, are expected to play a major role in the formation of the next government.

The NCP and CPI were allies of the Congress in the last Assembly. The Congress won 20 seats in the 2002 elections.

A total of 308 candidates were in the fray and an estimated 80 percent of the 1.7 million voters cast their ballots in the elections.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who won in Thoubal, and Manipur Congress chief Gaikhangam, who retained Nungba, are among the successful Congress candidates.

Ibobi Singh also fought from the Khangabok, where counting of votes is still on.

The big wins

Senior MPP leader and former Speaker O Joy Singh won in Langthabal for the sixth time.

MPP chief L.Chandramafi Singh lost the Patso seat to Independent candidate S Kunjakishore Singh.

Former chief minister and NCP state unit chief Radhabinod Koijam won in the Thangmeiband constituency.

Congress candidate M.Okendro Singh won the Heirok assembly seat, defeating MPP candidate N.Sovakiran by over 200 votes.

NCP candidate Maibam Kunjoy Singh won in Hiyanglam constituency, defeating CPI leader E Biramani by over 500 votes.

In the Sagolband constituency, Congress candidate Loken Singh defeated the RJD nominee S.Natum Singh.

In Oinam assembly constituency, MPP candidate Jiten Singh defeated Congress candidate L.Radhakishore Singh by over 500.