Imphal: As predicted by exit polls, BJP is leading in 24 seats in Manipur Assembly elections while Congress is trailing behind closely with a lead in 12 constituencies.
Though Congress and BJP are the main players, others like the National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF) and JD(U) could also play crucial roles in the event of a hung Assembly with no single party securing the majority. NPP is also leading in 12 assembly constituencies. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh is currently leading by 8000 votes in the Heingang constituency where Congress candidate Saratchanda Singh is trailing. Heingang has been held by the incumbent Chief Minister since 2002.
Similarly, Congress strongman and former three-time Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh is leading with a margin of over 800 votes in the Thoubal constituency. He is trailed by BJP's L Basanta Singh. Manipur had gone to two-phased elections for the 60 seats of the Legislative Assembly on February 28 and on March 5. The state had recorded a whopping 89.3 per cent of polling amid violence in different parts of the state.
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 as the party contested in all 60 seats. Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh had also exuded confidence that his party would come back to power in the state as people were fed up with the "hollow promises and lies" of the BJP government.
Congress, which has learned lessons from the past, would want to prevent the recurrence of what happened in 2017. Back then, Congress won 28 seats and despite being the single-largest party, the BJP was able to lure away its elected members to form the government.
