Assembly by-polls: BJP-led NDA dominates in two NE states

By Sujit Chakraborty Imphal/Kohima, Nov 10 : The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Tuesday won five seats including one unopposed out of the seven Assembly seats in Manipur and Nagaland, where bypolls were held last week. Independent candidates won the remaining two seats.
BJP’s ally and ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) bagged one Assembly seat in Nagaland, while an Independent candidate succeeded in winning the second seat in the bypolls, officials said.
The Congress secured second position in Saitu and Wangjing-Tentha Assembly seat while National People’s Party led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma secured second position in Wangoi Assembly seat.
With four legislators, the NPP is an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Manipur.
With the winning of five assembly seats, including one uncontested, the BJP dominated coalition government in Manipur further strengthened its position in the 60-member house.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the Congress emerged as the single largest party securing 28 seats, but the BJP, which bagged 21 seats, stitched together a coalition government with the support of four NPP MLAs, four Naga People’s Front members, the lone TMC MLA and an Independent member.