NPF, BJP share Manipur’s two LS seats

[caption id="attachment_250871" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Dr. Lorho S Pfoze of NPF with his ‘certificate of election’ in Thoubal, Manipur.[/caption] Our Correspondent Imphal, May 24 (EMN): Naga People’s Front (NPF) candidate Dr. Lorho S Pfoze and Dr. RK Ranjan of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the two Lok Sabha seats of Manipur, official sources said on Friday. The ‘certificates of election’ were given to the winners by the respective returning officer late Thursday night. Manipur has two Lok Sabha seats: Inner Manipur and Outer (ST) Manipur parliamentary seats. In the outer Manipur parliamentary seat, NPF candidate Pfoze bagged a huge win by securing around 73,782 votes more than his nearest rival, BJP candidate Benjamin Shokhopao Mate who secured 2,89,745 votes. Pfoze secured a total of 3,63,527 votes. Congress candidate K James got 1,52,510 votes. BJP’s Dr. Ranjan, in Inner Manipur seat, secured 2,61,802 votes which was 16,830 more than his rival Congress candidate O Nabakishore who secured 2,44972 votes. The Communist Party of India candidate Dr. M Nara got 1,33093 votes and was placed in third position. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress had won both the Lok Sabha seats from Manipur.

NPF lauds Pfoze

In a statement issued on Friday, NPF party congratulated Pfoze on his winning the Outer Manipur parliamentary seat; breaking the NPF’s duck in Manipur parliamentary elections. It expressed gratitude to the voters of Outer Manipur for voting in favour of Pfoze; and all the party members who had contributed to the victory. The party also thanked its members, particularly the sitting NPF MLAs in Nagaland for their efforts and sacrifices during the election in supporting the NPF-backed Congress candidate. It congratulated Tokheho Yepthomi on his victory.