Manipur, under BJP rule, comprises only two Lok Sabha seats - Inner Manipur, primarily covering valley areas, and the Outer Manipur reserved constituency, which includes nearly all hill areas.
Digital Desk: The Congress holds the lead in both Lok Sabha seats in Manipur - Inner and Outer (reserved) constituencies.
Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, the Congress candidate, is currently ahead in Inner Manipur, surpassing his closest competitor, Thounaojam Basantakumar of the BJP, by a margin of over 62,000 votes. Meanwhile, in the Outer Manipur seat, the Congress's Alfred Kanngam S Arthur leads by over 2,700 votes against his Naga People's Front (NPF) opponent, Kachui Timothy Zimik. Zimik initially led but eventually lost ground to Mr. Arthur.
Manipur, under BJP rule, comprises only two Lok Sabha seats - Inner Manipur, primarily covering valley areas, and the Outer Manipur reserved constituency, which includes nearly all hill areas.
Mr. Akoijam, a 57-year-old professor at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), hails from the Meitei community, dominant in the valley. Amid the Manipur crisis, local sentiments favored him, especially in assembly constituencies where the Congress holds historical strength. Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader, commenced the party's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from a location in Manipur where the Congress enjoys substantial backing.
According to two political analysts in Manipur interviewed by NDTV, Mr. Akoijam's last-minute entry into politics caused a division in the Meitei vote. Tensions between the Meitei community and the Kuki-Zo tribes regarding land, resources, and affirmative action policies have been prominent. None of the parties fielded a Kuki-Zo candidate in the election.
The Opposition bloc INDIA highlighted the Manipur ethnic crisis significantly during the election. Despite rebuttals from Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the Opposition repeatedly criticized the Centre on this issue.
The elections in Manipur took place in two phases, on April 19 and April 26.
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