NPF sweeps Ukhrul, Kamjong district ACs
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang
Ukhrul, March 10 2022:
For the first time in its history, the Naga People's Front (NPF) has swept across the twin districts of Ukhrul and Kamjong, winning all the three seats in the second phase of the Manipur Assembly elections held on March' 5.The NPF winners are Leishiyo Keishing of Nambashi Khullen village for 43-Phungyar AC in Kamjong district and Ram Muivah of Muirei village for 44-Ukhrul AC and Khashim Vashum of Tusom CV village for 45 Chingai AC in Ukhrul district.
In 45-Chingai AC, Khashim Vashum recorded a thumping victory with a remarkable margin of 2336 votes.
He secured a total of 12837 votes out of the total 40898 votes, beating his nearest rival Ningam Chamroy of National People's Party (NPP) who secured 10501.Incidentally, Khashim Vashum created history by winning the seat for consecutive two terms in the Chingai assembly constituency.
For around four decades, Chingai constituency had not seen re-election of.any MLA for two consecutive terms after Late Somi A Shimray who got elected in 1974 and was re-elected in 1980.BJP's Preshaw Shimray got 9349 votes, while INC's Sword Vashum secured 8150 votes.
NOTA record ed 61 votes.
Leishiyo Keishing secured 11642 votes out of 30838 votes polled in 43-Phungyar.His closest rival Hopingson Shimray of BJP got 1086 votes but lost by a margin of 779 votes.
INC's Victor Keishing secured 7453 votes, followed by JD(U)'s Wungnaoshang Kasar who got 693 votes.
Ninghor Jajo of Shiv Sena got 154 votes, even as NOTA recorded 33 votes.
In 44-Ukhrul AC, Ram Muivah managed to defeat his closest contender Alfred Kanngam Arthur of INC by a margin of 942 votes.
Ram Muivah secured 15503 votes out of 40073 votes polled, while Alfred got 14561 votes.
BJP's Somatai Shaiza lagged behind with 9961 votes.
NOTA accounted for 48 votes.
Later, the newly-declared NPF MLAs Khashim Vashum, Ram Muivah and Leishiyo Keis-hing received the certificate of election from the respective ROs.
Meanwhile, as soon as the NPF candidates started leading in Ukhrul AC, Chingai AC and Phungyar AC in the middle of the counting, a mammoth crowd of NPF supporters from the three assembly constituencies, had gathered at the mini-secretariat gate and started celebrating victory.
Wearing NPF muffler, the supporters triumphantly waved the party flag and sang songs of victory.
As the winning NPF trio emerged from the mini-secretariat gate, they were congratulated and welcomed by the enthusiastic supporters, by presenting each of them with a traditional headgear and a spear as a form of honour.