Assembly election result 2022: How BJP became the single largest party in Manipur

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to return to power in the northeastern state of Manipur as it won 29 Assembly seats and was leading on another three at 8.30 pm. If it goes on to win just two seats, it will be the first time that BJP makes the government without any outside support.

Any party requires at least 31 seats to prove the majority in the Manipur Assembly.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh defeated his nearest Congress rival, P Saratchandra Singh, by 18,271 votes in the Heingang seat.

Expressing gratitude, he wrote on Twitter:

Thank you, Manipur!

The historic victory that we have achieved today is a testament of the people's faith in the dynamic leadership of Hon'ble PM @narendramodi Ji and citizen centric governance.

My heartiest congratulations to all the Karyakartas of BJP.

— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) March 10, 2022

The BJP had formed the government in Manipur in 2017 despite having just 21 seats, joining hands with regional parties NPP and NPF. The saffron party’s own strength later increased to 28.

Let’s take a look at how the saffron party went from having no members in the 2012 Manipur Assembly to securing a majority in the gap of 10 years:

Peaceful five years

During the Congress regime under Okram Ibobi Singh, bandhs, blockades and extrajudicial killings were common occurrences, which now have become a thing of the past. There have rarely been any violent protests, stone pelting, tear-gassing or curfews.

Even though the situation had already started improving before BJP took control in 2017, it benefited by arriving at the scene at the right time.

According to the Union Home Ministry data, insurgency-related activities in Northeast India in 2021 reduced by 80 per cent compared to 2014. Manipur too has witnessed a constant decline in insurgency-related cases.

From 233 cases in 2016, Manipur saw 167 cases in 2017, 127 in 2018 and 126 cases in 2019, according to the MHA security situation report.

BJP’s relevance in Manipur also grew because of the Narendra Modi government’s efforts to solve the longstanding militancy problem in the region.

While the militant outfit Kuki National Organisation announced support to the party, the dominant militant outfit Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) also started sensitising people in the Naga regions about the importance of the ongoing talks with the Centre.

Vote to the Centre for development Manipur, just like other small states of the Northeast, tends to vote for the party that is in power at the Centre.

With BJP being in power at the Centre, it became an easy choice for voters for the overall welfare of the state.

After coming to power in the state in 2017, BJP rolled out central schemes to solve fundamental issues of education, poverty, health and employment.

The party also reached out to the youth of the state by offering loans under schemes like Stand-Up India. It was also under the BJP government that the first-ever train arrived in Manipur in January this year.

And finally, with its campaign slogan, “Hanna Hanna BJP, Henna Henna Chaokhatpa” (Again, again BJP; more and more development), the party hit home. Weak opposition

Congress had won 28 seats in 2017 Assembly elections, however, it could not form the government. In the last five years, its MLA base has reduced to just 13 due to a lack of leadership and frequent defections.

Congress stalwart Okram Ibobi Singh, who became visible during the last two months of the campaign, had practically disappeared in the last five years.

Click here for latest updates on Assembly Elections 2022 With inputs from agencies

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