BJP debuts in Manipur Assembly, wins 2 seats in bypoll

Imphal, Nov 24: BJP opened its account in Manipur Assembly by winning the bypoll in two constituencies of Thangmeiband and Thongju today.

BJP trounced ruling Congress in both the seats. Kh Joykishan Singh of BJP won Thangmeiband assembly seat by securing 12,098 against Jyotin Waikhom of Congress who got 10,195 votes.

Th Bishwajit Singh of BJP won Thongju Assembly constituency by securing 14605 against Bijoy Koijam of Congress who obtained 11,393 votes, the election office said. G A Tonsana Sharma of Manipur Democratic People Front lost his deposit as he failed to secured the required number of votes in both the constituencies.

The bypolls were necessitated when the Speaker disqualified both the MLAs Kh Joykishan Singh and Th Biswajit Singh of Thangmeiband and Thongju respectively under the anti-defection law on May 28.

The Speaker had also disqualified the MLA of Wangoi Assembly Constituency, O Lukhoi the same day, but following an appeal in the Court, the High Court of Manipur had ruled that the Wangoi seat was not vacant. The then two MLAs of Thangmeiband AC and Thongju AC had announced that they would not approach the Court but instead go to the people who had elected them earlier.

The Speaker had disqualified the three MLAs on the ground that they had formed a new political party of their own with a separate constitution from the Trinamool Congress.

In Thangmeiband assembly constituency, the three contenders in this bypoll were - Kh Joykishan of BJP, Jyotin Waikhom of Congress and G A Tonsana Sharma of Manipur Democratic People Front (MDPF). In Thongju assembly constituency, three contestants were - G A Tonsana Sharma of MDPF, Bijoy Koijam of INC and Th Bishwajit Singh of BJP.

PTI