In the two Lok Sabha seats of Manipur, the ruling BJP was leading in Inner Manipur and the Naga People’s Front (NPF) in Outer Manipur.
In Inner Manipur, BJP candidate Rajkumar Ranjan Singh was leading against his nearest Congress rival Oinam Nabakishore Singh by 20,810 votes. Eleven candidates, including four Independents, were in the fray.
In Outer Manipur, NPF nominee Lorho S. Pfoze was leading with 3,61,240 votes. Houlim Shokhopao Mate of the BJP is in the second spot with 280,388 votes. K. James of the Congress is in the third place with 139,156 votes.
Rajkumar Ranjan Singh The Telegraph file picture
Counting was still in progress in eight districts — Imphal West, Chandel, Senapati, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi and Tamenglong. It was completed in Imphal East, where the BJP got a major boost.
The Congress had bagged both the seats in 2014, sending Th. Meinya Singh and Thangso Baite to Parliament.
While the BJP and the NPF are in a favourable position in the parliamentary elections, they are at loggerheads in the state with the NPF resolving in principle to pull out of the BJP-led government. The party will, however, take a final decision after the Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, the BJP and the NPF were gearing up to welcome their candidates and celebrate their victories at theirs respective offices located at Natyaipat Chutkhek and Langol Game Village, once the results are officially declared.