Counting officials amidst tight security carry EVMs to a counting centre for the 60 assembly constituency going on at Agartala, capital of Indian northeastern state Tripura on May 16. (UB Photo)Guwahati, May 17 : The predictions projected by political observers in the Northeastern state did not go right as the Congress managed to win 13 of the total 25 seats in the region. It is worth noting that in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Congress won 11 seats as against 14 by the non-Congress parties in eight states of the Northeast. However, with respect to Assam this time, the Congress suffered a jolt in the state winning only seven seats but gained in Arunachal Pradesh where the party bagged both the seats earlier held by the BJP.
In Assam, Congress won the Jorhat, Diphu, Dibrugarh, Kaliabor, Lakhimpur, Barpeta and Karimganj seats. BJP came second winning the Silchar, Guwahati, Nagaon and Mongoldai seats. Assam United Democratic Front, Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland Peoples Front bagged one seat each. Prominent among the winners included sitting MPs B.K Handique, Deep Gogoi, Biren Singh Engti (all from Congress), Rajen Gohain (BJP), SK Bismuthiary (BPF), former Union Ministers Paban Singh Ghatowar of Congress and Bijoya Chakraborty of BJP, Ramen Deka, also of BJP and AUDF chief Badruddin Azmal.
The prominent losers were Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev, lottery king M.K. Subba (both from Congress) and Sarbananda Sonowal of AGP. Dev lost to Kabindra Purakayastha of BJP in Silchar while Subba lost to Joseph Toppo of the AGP in Tezpur. Sonowal lost to Ghatowar in Dibrugarh. In Arunachal Pradesh, Congress sprang a surprise winning both Arunachal West and Arunachal East seats. Sitting MPs Khiren Rijiju and Tapir Gao (both of BJP) lost to Congress candidates Takam Sanjay and Ninong Ering respectively.
In Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, the results were almost the same as in 2004 elections. In Manipur, Congress won both the seats. Sitting MP T. Meinya of the Congress retained the Inner Manipur seat but the other sitting MP Mani Charanamei (PDA) lost to Thangso Baite of the Congress in Outer Manipur constituency.
In Nagaland, the lone seat was grabbed by CM Chang of Nagaland People’s Front (NPF). He defeated his nearest rival K. Asungba Sangtam of the Congress by over four lakh votes. The NPF also won four Assembly seats, by-elections for which were held simultaneously with Parliamentary elections. The by-polls were necessitated following the resignation of four sitting Congress MLAs from the Assembly.
Congress and NCP shared one seat apiece in Meghalaya. Sitting MP Agatha K. Sangma, daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker PA Sangma, retained the Tura seat while Vincent Pala of the Congress won the Shillong seat. In Tripura, the CPI(M) retained both the seats. Bajuban Reang and Khagen Das (both of CPI-M) defeated their nearest Congress rivals Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl and Sudip Roy Barman in Tripura East and Tripura West constituencies respectively.
In Sikkim, the Sikkim Democratic Front grabbed the lone seat with party candidate P.D. Rai defeating K.N. Upreti of Congress by a margin of over 3,000 votes. In Mizoram, Congress aspirant C.L. Ruala defeated H. Lallungmuana, an independent supported by opposition Mizo National Front, Mizoram People's Conference and Nationalist Congress Party.
Congress wins both Manipur seats
Newmai News Network
Imphal | May 16
The Indian National Congress (INC) has won both the parliamentary seats of Manipur with the completion of the counting of votes late Saturday. In the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency, Congress candidate Thangso Baite defeated his nearest rival and People’s Democratic Alliance’s (PDA) candidate Mani Charenamei, who is also the sitting member of Parliament (MP), by a huge margin of 1, 19, 798 votes while sitting MP and Congress candidate of Inner Manipur Parliamentary, Dr. Thokchom Meinya defeated his nearest rival Dr. Moirangthem Nara Singh of Communist Party of India (CPI) by a margin of 30, 960 votes.
As per a release issued by the directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) the Congress secured 3, 44, 517 votes out of total valid votes of 7, 56, 181 without the postal ballots while PDA got 2, 24, 719 in the Outer Manipur constituency of which the counting concluded 4:00 p.m. D. Lolie Adanee of BJP came third with 93, 052 votes. District wise analysis showed the Congress got maximum votes from Kuki dominated district of Churachandpur and from the seven assembly constituencies of Thoubal district which is said to the home constituency of O. Ibobi Singh, chief minister of Manipur. However, these were also distributed between the Congress and L.B. Sona of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) who got a total of 79, 849 votes.
On the other hand, Mani got the highest number of votes from Naga dominated districts of Senapati, Ukhrul and Tamenglong but could not get much from Chandel district which is also dominated by Nagas and the Congress candidate beat him by 12, 600 votes in the district. Mani could also not get many votes from Churachandpur district and from the seven assembly segments of Thoubal district which had supported him in the last parliamentary elections in 2004. In the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency, Dr. Thokchom Meinya of Indian National Congress (INC) retained his seat for Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency to the Indian Parliament by defeating his nearest rival Dr. Moirangthem Nara Singh of Communists Party of India (CPI) by a margin of only 30, 960 votes.
As per information of the DIPR, the Congress got 2, 30, 876 votes out of the total 5, 83, 218 votes cast while CPI got 1, 99, 916 votes. Th. Chaoba of Manipur People’s Party (MPP) secured 1, 01, 787 votes coming third out of the seven candidates in the fray for the inner seat of the Parliament. Congress dominated in 18 of the 32 assembly constituencies of the Inner Parliamentary followed closely on the heels by M. Nara of the CPI who won in 9 of the 32 assembly constituencies. Interestingly, seven assembly constituencies of Thoubal district and Jeribam constituency of the Imphal East districts falls in the Outer Manipur constituency which went in good to the Congress and the NCP.
Meanwhile, it may be reminded here the CPI and MPP had lodged complaints to the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Manipur on widespread proxy voting, impersonation and misappropriation allegations against the Congress in Andro and Thoubal.
The two major political parties of the state also strongly demanded re-polling but could not get positive result. In Andro Assembly segment which the CPI considers its strong hold area, the party got only 4277 out of 22,726 votes while congress got 16,280 votes. At Thoubal Assembly segment, CPI got only 6828 votes out of 24139 votes cast while the Congress got 16,136 votes. The elections to the two parliamentary seats of the Lok Sabha in Manipur were held in two phases- the Outer on April 16 and the Inner on April 22. (EOM)
Imphal | May 16
The Indian National Congress (INC) has won both the parliamentary seats of Manipur with the completion of the counting of votes late Saturday. In the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency, Congress candidate Thangso Baite defeated his nearest rival and People’s Democratic Alliance’s (PDA) candidate Mani Charenamei, who is also the sitting member of Parliament (MP), by a huge margin of 1, 19, 798 votes while sitting MP and Congress candidate of Inner Manipur Parliamentary, Dr. Thokchom Meinya defeated his nearest rival Dr. Moirangthem Nara Singh of Communist Party of India (CPI) by a margin of 30, 960 votes.
As per a release issued by the directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) the Congress secured 3, 44, 517 votes out of total valid votes of 7, 56, 181 without the postal ballots while PDA got 2, 24, 719 in the Outer Manipur constituency of which the counting concluded 4:00 p.m. D. Lolie Adanee of BJP came third with 93, 052 votes. District wise analysis showed the Congress got maximum votes from Kuki dominated district of Churachandpur and from the seven assembly constituencies of Thoubal district which is said to the home constituency of O. Ibobi Singh, chief minister of Manipur. However, these were also distributed between the Congress and L.B. Sona of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) who got a total of 79, 849 votes.
On the other hand, Mani got the highest number of votes from Naga dominated districts of Senapati, Ukhrul and Tamenglong but could not get much from Chandel district which is also dominated by Nagas and the Congress candidate beat him by 12, 600 votes in the district. Mani could also not get many votes from Churachandpur district and from the seven assembly segments of Thoubal district which had supported him in the last parliamentary elections in 2004. In the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency, Dr. Thokchom Meinya of Indian National Congress (INC) retained his seat for Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency to the Indian Parliament by defeating his nearest rival Dr. Moirangthem Nara Singh of Communists Party of India (CPI) by a margin of only 30, 960 votes.
As per information of the DIPR, the Congress got 2, 30, 876 votes out of the total 5, 83, 218 votes cast while CPI got 1, 99, 916 votes. Th. Chaoba of Manipur People’s Party (MPP) secured 1, 01, 787 votes coming third out of the seven candidates in the fray for the inner seat of the Parliament. Congress dominated in 18 of the 32 assembly constituencies of the Inner Parliamentary followed closely on the heels by M. Nara of the CPI who won in 9 of the 32 assembly constituencies. Interestingly, seven assembly constituencies of Thoubal district and Jeribam constituency of the Imphal East districts falls in the Outer Manipur constituency which went in good to the Congress and the NCP.
Meanwhile, it may be reminded here the CPI and MPP had lodged complaints to the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Manipur on widespread proxy voting, impersonation and misappropriation allegations against the Congress in Andro and Thoubal.
The two major political parties of the state also strongly demanded re-polling but could not get positive result. In Andro Assembly segment which the CPI considers its strong hold area, the party got only 4277 out of 22,726 votes while congress got 16,280 votes. At Thoubal Assembly segment, CPI got only 6828 votes out of 24139 votes cast while the Congress got 16,136 votes. The elections to the two parliamentary seats of the Lok Sabha in Manipur were held in two phases- the Outer on April 16 and the Inner on April 22. (EOM)
13 years wait for Cong in Mizoram
Aizawl, May 16 (Agencies): The ruling Congress on Saturday won the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram defeating an independent candidate supported by the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) and Mizoram Peoples’ Conference (MPC) combine, an official here said. Congress aspirant C.L. Ruala wrested the seat defeating his rival H. Lallungmuana, an independent supported by the opposition MNF-MPC, by a margin of about 108,000 votes. The Congress last won the Lok Sabha seat in Christian dominated Mizoram in 1996, when party veteran Silvera C. bagged the seat defeating the MNF nominee by a margin of 14,481 votes. Sitting Lok Sabha member of MNF Vanlalzawma, who was elected to the lower house of Parliament in 2004 and 1999, did not contest the elections this time.
NCP retains Tura, Congress Shillong
Shillong, May 16 (PTI): NCP candidate Agatha Sangma, daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, retained the Tura parliamentary seat in Meghalaya and Congress the Shillong seat. Agatha, who is the sitting MP, polled 1,54,476 votes compared to 1,36,531 votes by closest rival Deborah Marak of the Congress. She won by a slender margin 17,945 votes as compared to nearly 1 lakh margin in the by-poll which saw the 28-year-old make her debut in Parliament last year. Significantly, Tura had been a stronghold of nine-time MP Sangma who always defeated his rivals by huge margins. In 2004, he had defeated Congress Mukul Sangma by 72,000 votes.
The Congress retained Shillong with its candidate Vincent Pala defeating United Democratic Party-BJP combine nominee John Kharshiing by 1,07,868 votes. Pala polled 2,32,270 votes, while Kharshiing bagged 1,24,402 votes. Hill State Peoples Democratic Party’s P B M Basaiawmoit was placed a distant third with 97,613 votes.The four other candidates in the fray in Shillong forfeited their security. Meghalaya Democratic Party president Martle M Mukhim got 8,782 votes, Dalington Dympep of the CPI polled 6,698 votes, and two Independents Denis Siangshai and Tierod Passah bagged 6,934 and 3,207 votes respectively.
Aizawl, May 16 (Agencies): The ruling Congress on Saturday won the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram defeating an independent candidate supported by the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) and Mizoram Peoples’ Conference (MPC) combine, an official here said. Congress aspirant C.L. Ruala wrested the seat defeating his rival H. Lallungmuana, an independent supported by the opposition MNF-MPC, by a margin of about 108,000 votes. The Congress last won the Lok Sabha seat in Christian dominated Mizoram in 1996, when party veteran Silvera C. bagged the seat defeating the MNF nominee by a margin of 14,481 votes. Sitting Lok Sabha member of MNF Vanlalzawma, who was elected to the lower house of Parliament in 2004 and 1999, did not contest the elections this time.
NCP retains Tura, Congress Shillong
Shillong, May 16 (PTI): NCP candidate Agatha Sangma, daughter of former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, retained the Tura parliamentary seat in Meghalaya and Congress the Shillong seat. Agatha, who is the sitting MP, polled 1,54,476 votes compared to 1,36,531 votes by closest rival Deborah Marak of the Congress. She won by a slender margin 17,945 votes as compared to nearly 1 lakh margin in the by-poll which saw the 28-year-old make her debut in Parliament last year. Significantly, Tura had been a stronghold of nine-time MP Sangma who always defeated his rivals by huge margins. In 2004, he had defeated Congress Mukul Sangma by 72,000 votes.
The Congress retained Shillong with its candidate Vincent Pala defeating United Democratic Party-BJP combine nominee John Kharshiing by 1,07,868 votes. Pala polled 2,32,270 votes, while Kharshiing bagged 1,24,402 votes. Hill State Peoples Democratic Party’s P B M Basaiawmoit was placed a distant third with 97,613 votes.The four other candidates in the fray in Shillong forfeited their security. Meghalaya Democratic Party president Martle M Mukhim got 8,782 votes, Dalington Dympep of the CPI polled 6,698 votes, and two Independents Denis Siangshai and Tierod Passah bagged 6,934 and 3,207 votes respectively.
North East Tally for Lok Sabha
Assam- 14 seats
Cong. 07
BPF 01
BJP 04
AGP 01
AUDF 0 1
Arunachal Pradesh-2 seats
Cong. 02
Manipur- 2 seats
Cong. 02
Meghalaya- 2 seats
Cong. 01
NCP 01
Mizoram- 1 seat
Cong. 01
Nagaland- 1 seat
NPF 01
Sikkim-1seat
SDF 01
Tripura- 2 seats
CPI-M 02
BPF -Bodoland People’s Front
AGP - Asom Gana Parishad
AUDF - Asom United Democratic Front
SDF - Sikkim Democratic Front
Cong. 07
BPF 01
BJP 04
AGP 01
AUDF 0 1
Arunachal Pradesh-2 seats
Cong. 02
Manipur- 2 seats
Cong. 02
Meghalaya- 2 seats
Cong. 01
NCP 01
Mizoram- 1 seat
Cong. 01
Nagaland- 1 seat
NPF 01
Sikkim-1seat
SDF 01
Tripura- 2 seats
CPI-M 02
BPF -Bodoland People’s Front
AGP - Asom Gana Parishad
AUDF - Asom United Democratic Front
SDF - Sikkim Democratic Front