Bharatiya Janata Party is inching towards the majority mark with the incumbent party leading on 13 Assembly seats, the Election Commission data showed on Thursday.
As per the ECI data at 3.40 pm, the BJP is leading on 13 seats and won 11 seats. Congress and National People's Party (NPP) won two seats each. Two Independent candidates have also secured victory.
The BJP was leading in 13 seats, while the JD (U) was ahead in two seats and the Congress in one.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh defeated his nearest Congress rival P Saratchandra Singh in Heingang, even the ruling BJP won five seats and Nitish Kumar's JD (U) bagged three constituencies, as per latest ECI data.
"We will take time to stake a claim to form government, let the results be out. Our national leaders will decide on CM face, we will focus on PM Narendra Modi's mantra of inclusive development," N Biren Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
The election results for 60 Assembly seats in Manipur will be declared today. Exit polls had predicted BJP to have an edge over rivals in Manipur.
In 2017, the BJP had formed the government in Manipur with the support of the National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) but this time, it decided to go solo and is contesting on all the 60 seats.
On the other hand, Congress had formed an alliance of six political parties and named it Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA). The coalition partners in MPSA include Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Janata Dal (Secular).
(With inputs from Agencies)
