Manipur Elections 2022 : Congress alleges foul play, says it might cost 6 to 7 seats

Manipur elections have now taken a new turn as the Congress party has alleged manipulation during the polling days in the 60-seat assembly. As a consequence, the party fears, it could lose about 6-7 seats, sources told Republic. Manipur went to the polls in two phases on February 10 and March 7.

Some of the prominent faces contesting elections in Manipur include Chief Minister and BJP candidate N Biren Singh, NPP candidate Yumnam Joykumar, Assembly Speaker Y Khemchand Singh, Deputy Chief Minister and and Manipur Congress president N Lokesh Singh. 

As of 11:40 AM BJP is leading in 21 seats, NPP at 7 seats, BJP's alliance partner NPF at 4 seats, Congress at 3 seats and Others at 6 seats on 41 seats out of 60. The P-Marq exit poll projected BJP to win seats in the bracket of 27 to 31 and the Congress will be restricted to a range of 11 to 17 seats. 

The Congress after loosing the last assembly elections in 2017, decided to form an umbrella alliance of six political parties and named it as Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA). The alliance parties include Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), and Janata Dal (Secular). 

BJP's Manipur President Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi has set the target to win 40 of the 60-seat assembly. "We have set a target of over 40 seats and are confident of forming a stable Government. When the final results are declared, we expect the number to be 40 plus only.. We havent taken a decision on Chief Ministerial candidate and there is no point of a new CM here," Devi told ANI.      

Congress General Secretary Mukul Wasnik claimed the people of Manipur will vote for change and Congress will form the Government in Manipur. "People's verdict will be in favour of the Congress and will be forming the Government here with other alliance parties. Time and again, the Exit Polls have found to be wrong. We believe what came out in the Exit Poll is far from what we will see on March 10, He said.    

In 2017, the Congress' 15 year reign in Manipur came to an end after the BJP emerged as the second largest party and managed an alliance with NPP, NPF and LJP.