The ethnic crisis in Manipur, a central issue in the Congress’s poll campaign, appears to have resonated with the electorate.
The Congress is currently leading in both Lok Sabha seats in Manipur, specifically the Inner and Outer (reserved) constituencies.
In the Inner Manipur constituency, Congress candidate Angomcha Bimol Akoijam has established a significant lead over his closest rival, Thounaojam Basantakumar of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), by more than 62,000 votes.
Akoijam, a 57-year-old professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi, represents the valley-dominant Meitei community, which has shown substantial support for him, especially in areas where the Congress has traditionally been strong.
Meanwhile, in the Outer Manipur constituency, Congress candidate Alfred Kanngam S Arthur is leading his Naga People’s Front (NPF) opponent, Kachui Timothy Zimik, by over 2,700 votes.
Manipur, a BJP-ruled state, has only two Lok Sabha seats. Inner Manipur encompasses mostly the valley areas, while Outer Manipur, a reserved constituency, covers nearly all the hill regions.
The Meitei community has faced conflicts with the Kuki-Zo tribes over issues related to land, resources, and affirmative action policies. Interestingly, no Kuki-Zo candidate from any party participated in this election.
The broader Opposition alliance, known as INDIA, leveraged the Manipur ethnic crisis as a central issue during the election campaign.
Despite repeated rebuttals from Home Minister Amit Shah and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the Opposition continued to critique the Centre’s handling of the crisis.
Rahul Gandhi launched the party’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from a region in Manipur, which bolstered the party’s visibility and voter engagement.
Elections in Manipur were conducted in two phases, on April 19 and April 26, with the Congress now poised to claim both parliamentary seats amidst a backdrop of complex socio-political dynamics.