Prithviraj conquers
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 30 2008: CONGRESS CANDIDATE Mairembam Prithviraj has retained the Moirang assembly constituency seat left vacant by the untimely demise of his father late M Manindra.

He defeated his lone rival Hemam Bira of the Manipur People's Party (MPP) by a margin of 4889 votes at the by-election.

The results of the December 27 by-election declared today showed that Congress party candidate M Prithviraj secured a total vote of 16,225 while MPP's Bira got 11,336 .

As soon as it was confirmed that the Congress candidate has won the by-election, the returning officer summoned Prithviraj, congratulated him and handed over the certificate of election to him.

Elected candidate Marembam Prithviraj puts up V for victory sign at Bishnupur DC office after collecting election certificate before the waiting mediapersons and workers

The election observer and DC, Bishnupur district maintained that the by-election was free and fair and congratulated Prithviraj.

The victorious Congress candidate M Prithviraj newsmen in the complex of the Bishnupur DC that by the blessings of the Congress high command, leaders of MPCC and the people and their love for his father, he won the by-election, for which he would never forget to be grateful to all concerned.

He is obliged, he would never betray the people's faith in him, Prithviraj vowed.

The first thing he would do is to complete the developmental works that his father had begun, Prithviraj announced and added that secondly, he would try to translate all the promises that he made before the by-election to the people of Moirang into reality.

As a young leader, he would try to make his best efforts to bring about a political negotiation between the various insurgent groups and the government, Prithviraj asserted.

Violence can never bring solution to any problem, he observed.

As victorious Prithviraj came out of the Bishnupur DC complex carrying his certificate of election, hundreds of his workers greeted him showering on him flower petals and garlanding him.

A large number vehicles carrying hundreds of jubilant workers and supporters formed a long convoy and drove around Moirang assembly constituency cheering and shouting.

A great deal of fire crackers were also burst.

The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee will organise a reception function to felicitate the MLA-elect M Prithviraj tomorrow at the Congress Bhavan in Imphal.

The by-election was a straight fight between the Congress and the MPP.

However, the Congress was supported by the Rashtrya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) while the MPP was supported by the Bharatya Janata Party (BJP) .

A result statement made available to the press by the Returning Officer of Moirang here today showed that Prithviraj had won the by-election by netting in 58.86 percent of the votes while his rival Bira netted in 41.13 percent of the total votes.

The result also showed that there were no invalid votes in any of the polling stations with the Congress candidate winning in a majority of the 37 (thirty-seven) polling stations.

While this is the first instance of Prithviraj being elected to the state assembly following his nomination after the sudden demise of the sitting member of legislative assembly (MLA) and his father, Congress member M Manindra, it is the fourth time unlucky for the MPP candidate Bira having come a close second in the previous three elections.

The result will definitely come as a big relief and boost to the Ibobi led Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government of Manipur after the Chief Minister had already said that the result of the Moirang by-election would be an acid test for the Congress led SPF government.

The Chief Minister while addressing the 123rd anniversary of the Indian National Congress on Sunday, December 28, further maintained that the result would help determine whether the people of the state has faith in the Congress led government or not.

The Congress party in Manipur is enjoying the total 31 members in the 60-house Manipur Legislative Assembly.