Manipur: CM Ibobi Singh defeats Irom Sharmila, close fight between Cong, BJP

Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh won Thoubal seat, defeating BJP’s Leitanthem Basanta Singh by 10,400 votes and rights activist Irom Sharmila even as the Congress and the BJP were locked in a close contest in the state.

The Congress has won three seats and is leading in eight, while the BJP has wrested two seats and is ahead in 10 other constituencies, as per results and trends till 11:30 am.

Singh won Thoubal by a margin of 10,400 votes. Congress leader Md Abdul Naser bagged Lilong by a difference of 1,268 votes.

K Jaikishen Singh of the Congress won Thangmeiband by 157 votes.

Sapam R Singh of the BJP emerged victorious in Konthoujam seat by a margin of 2,772 votes and Heikham Dingo Singh won in Sekmai constituency by 2,532 votes.

Y.Jaikumar Singh secured Uripok seat for Nationalist People’s Party (NPP), defeating his nearest opponent by 345 votes.

The NPP and the Naga People’s Front are ahead in two seats each, followed by the Lokjanshakti Party, which is leading in one.

Prominent Congress candidates who have taken a lead are party state secretary D D Thaisi in Karong Assembly seat and minority leader Md Amin Shah in Kshetriago seat.

Important BJP candidates who are ahead in the race included S S Olish in Chandel (ST), Z K Newmai in Tamei (ST) and S Joy Singh in Wangoi assembly seat. S J Kamei of the BJP is leading in Tamenglong.

The NPP is leading in Churachandpur and Keishamthong seats.

The NPF is surging ahead in Mao (ST) and Phungyar (ST) constituencies.