Bye-polls: BJP opens its account; 8 injured in violence
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, November 24 2015: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opened its account in the Manipur Assembly by winning two seats in bye-poll held in Thangmeiband and Thongju constituencies.

The bye-poll was conducted on November 21 and the results were declared on Tuesday.

BJP candidate Khumukcham Joykishan defeated ruling Congress nominee Jyotin Waikhom by securing 12,104 votes.

Jyotin managed to get 10,197 votes while Dr Gurumayum Tonsana of Manipur Democratic Front got only 55 in Thangmeiband.

Thongam Biswajit retained the Thongju seat getting 14, 605 votes while his closest rival Bijoy Koijam of INC, who is a former minister and two-time MLA lost the seat.

He got 11,393 votes.

Dr Gurumayum Tonsana who contested from both constituencies managed to get only 54 votes in Thongju.

Bye-polls: BJP opens its account; 8 injured in violence

The bye-polls were necessitated when the Speaker disqualified both the MLAs Kh Joykishan Singh and Th Biswajit Singh of Thangmeiband and Thongju respectively under the anti-defection law on May 28 .

The Speaker had also disqualified the MLA of Wangoi Assembly Constituency, O Lukhoi the same day, but following an appeal in the Court, the High Court of Manipur had ruled that the Wangoi seat was not vacant.

The then two MLAs of Thangmeiband AC and Thongju AC had announced that they would not approach the Court but instead go to the people who had elected them earlier.

The Speaker had disqualified the three MLAs on the ground that they had formed a new political party of their own with a separate constitution from the Trinamool Congress.

In Thangmeiband assembly constituency, the three contenders in this bye-poll were - Kh Joykishan of BJP, Jyotin Waikhom of Congress and G A Tonsana Sharma of Manipur Democratic People Front (MDPF) .

In Thongju assembly constituency, three contestants were - G A Tonsana Sharma of MDPF, Bijoy Koijam of INC and Th Bishwajit Singh of BJP.

Meanwhile, at least eight people were reported injured when armed guards of UNACCO financial institution opened fire on supporters of the winning BJP candidate Thongam Biswajit at Khongman Zone-II in Thongju A/C Tuesday afternoon.

The injured have been reported to be undergoing medical treatment at two different hospitals in Imphal.

Sources said that among eight injured, two of them were hurt when they were hit by stones pelted at them.

The jubilant BJP supporters mostly from Bashikhong, Uchekon and Kshetri Leikai were celebrating the victory when the incident took place.

It has been reported that armed guards of UNACCO blocked the movement of BJP supporters in front of the bank office while they were passing the area.

Perturbed, some of the BJP supporters physically assaulted the guards which led to a violent scuffle.

The armed guards then opened fire on them, injuring six of them on the spot.

Another two were also injured after the guards attacked them with stones which aggravated the situation.

Sources informed that the irate supporters of the BJP candidate torched UNACCO office, including the residential building and three shops of the private bank owner Ningombam Irabanta during the violent incident.

Fire tenders were seen rushing to the spot but they were barred by the mob from entering the area.

A large number of police personnel also rushed to the spot but they are not allowed to enter the area by the angry crowd.