The Congress is leading in both Lok Sabha constituencies in Manipur, according to data published by the Election Commission.

In Inner Manipur, the Congress fielded Bimol Akoijam, who is leading the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Basanta Kumar Singh by more than 1.05 lakh votes, as of 3.45 pm. The seat had been won by the BJP’s RK Ranjan Singh in 2019.

Akoijam, a professor at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, belongs to the Meitei community that is the dominant ethnic group in the Imphal Valley.

In the Outer Manipur seat, the Congress fielded Alfred Arthur, whose campaign rallies had been targeted by suspected members of the militant group National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah.

Election Commission data showed Arthur leading the Naga People’s Front’s Kachui Timothy Zimik by 66,722 votes as of 3.45 pm. The seat had been won by the Naga People’s Front’s Lorho S Pfoze in 2019.

The Naga People’s Front is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

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The BJP has faced stiff challenges in Manipur because of the ongoing ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023. The violence has left 227 dead and displaced 70,000 from their homes. The Hindutva party had largely banked on its promise to protect the territorial integrity of Manipur.

Earlier this year, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had launched his party’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra from Manipur.

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