Imphal/Kohima: Ruling BJP candidates Tuesday won two Assembly seats in Manipur bypolls and the party is leading in another seat, while an Independent candidate won the fourth seat in the state.
BJP’s ally and ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) bagged one Assembly seat in Nagaland, while an Independent candidate succeeded in winning the second seat in the bypolls, officials said on Tuesday.
Election officials in Imphal said that BJP candidate Oinam Lukhoi Singh bagged 10,960 votes to win the Wangoi bypolls, defeating his nearest rival Khuraijam Loken Singh of the National People’s Party (NPP) by 257 votes.
The Wangoi seat witnessed a triangular contest among the BJP, the NPP and the Congress nominees. The NPP is an ally of the BJP-led government in Manipur.
In the Lilong seat, Independent candidate Y. Antas Khan secured 17,106 votes to defeat nearest BJP-supported Independent rival Mohammad Abdul Nasir by 3,078 votes.
In the Wangjing-Tentha seat, BJP candidate Paonam Brojen Singh got 15,147 votes to defeat Congress rival Moirangthem Hemanta Singh by 1,560 votes.
Though the Election Commission is yet to officially declare the results for the Saitu seat, BJP nominee Ngamthang Haokip, who has managed 24,394 votes so far, is headed for a win with a lead over his Congress rival Lamtinthang Haokip of more than 12,144 votes.
“Congress supporters led by party candidate Lamtinthang Haokip have been agitating to conduct re-polling in a few polling stations of the Saitu assembly seat. The Election Commission has also been examining the demand, leading to non-declaration of the results till late Tuesday evening,” an election official said.
By-elections were held in four Assembly seats in Manipur on November 7 and two Assembly seats in Nagaland on November 3.
BJP nominee Ginsuanhau was elected unopposed from Singhat seat in Churachandpur district in Manipur on October 22 after Independent nominee Chinlunthang withdrew his candidature.
The bypolls were necessitated after Congress MLAs, elected in the 2017 elections from these five seats, resigned from the Assembly and joined the ruling BJP.
In Nagaland, the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate Medo Yhokha bagged 4,773 votes to win the Southern Angami-1 seat, defeating his Independent rival Seyievilie Peter Zashumo by 598 votes.
The BJP is an ally of the NDPP-led government in Nagaland.
Independent candidate T. Yangseo Sangtam, who secured 8,747 votes, won the Pungro-Kiphire seat, beating his Independent rival S. Kiusumew Yimchunger by a margin of 1,527 votes.
The by-elections were held in Southern Angami-I and Pungro-Khipre seats on November 3 after the death of sitting legislators Vikho-o Yhoshu and T Torechu, respectively.
