Manipur, despite having just two Lok Sabha seats, is expected to witness a three-way electoral battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and other parties. Though Congress bagged both seats in 2014 general elections, this year could be a little different as the dominance of regional parties including Secular Democratic Front (SDF), National People’s Party (NPP), Manipur People’s Convention (MPC) and others cannot be ignored.
In March 2017, BJP somehow managed to form the government in the state despite winning only 21 seats in the 60-member Assembly. It overtook state government with the support of four MLAs from the Naga People’s Front and NPP besides the lone Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) legislator Karam Shyam.
Here’s all you need to know about the Lok Sabha elections in Manipur:
Ruling party: BJP (in coalition with NPP-NPF-LJP)
Total number of Lok Sabha seats: 2
Lok Sabha seat distribution: Congress - 2
Total voters: 1,930,912 (2019)
Voter turnout (in 2014 Lok Sabha polls): 77.5 per cent
Number of assembly seats: 60
Partywise break-up of assembly seats: BJP- 21, CONG- 28, IND- 1, NPF- 4, NPP- 4, LJP- 1, TMC- 1
Important constants of Manipur:
N Biren Singh (BJP), K Bhabananda (BJP); O Ibobi Singh (Congress), T Meinya (Congress); Okram Joy Singh (PCC); Dr Ibomcha Singh (AAP); Moirangthem Nara (CPI) and others.
About 2014 Lok Sabha Elections in Manipur:
Congress won both the Lok Sabha seats in Manipur as its candidates retained the Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur seats. There are two parliamentary constituencies in the state, namely Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur. The latter constituency is reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates. From Inner Manipur Congress leader Thokchom Meinya won the seat by defeating his nearest CPI rival Moirangthem Nara by more than 1 lakh votes.
Likewise in Outer Manipur seat, Cong MP Thangso Baite defeated his nearest NPF rival Soso Lorho by more than 15,000 votes.
About 2009 Lok Sabha Election in Manipur:
Congress won both the Lok Sabha seats in Manipur even in 2009. Congress triumphed in the election to both the Parliamentary constituencies with Dr Thokchom Meinya Singh retaining the Inner seat and Thangso Baite wresting the Outer Parliamentary seat from Mani Charenamei of the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA).