A Legislative Assembly election was held in Manipur on 4 March and 8 March 2017 to elect the 60 members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly. before the expiration of the term of the previous Assembly on 18 March 2017. The election was fought mainly on the issues of "territorial integrity of Manipur" and the Naga peace accord.Kartikeya Sharma, "It's all about blockade, Nagalim and Project NE: As Manipur inches closer to the polling dates in the two-phased Assembly elections, issues like Naga Accord outweigh development in campaign trails", DNA: Daily News & Analysis, 27 February 2017. The incumbent Indian National Congress lost majority. The Bharatiya Janata Party, which won 21 seats, formed the government with the support of allies.

Background Prior to 2017, Indian National Congress had been in power for 15 years. In the 2012 election, Congress had won 42 seats and re-elected Okram Ibobi Singh as the chief minister. In 2014, the Manipur State Congress Party, with its five Members of Legislative Assembly, merged with Congress, further increasing its tally.

Despite this apparent strength, the Congress government was beset with problems. In 2015, it yielded to pressures from the Inner Line Permit System movement and passed three bills in the Legislative Assembly to regulate migrants. The tribal communities dubbed them as "anti-tribal bills" and protested. Nine tribals were killed in police firing, and eight bodies were still lying in the morgue as the state went to the polls.Bikash Singh, Manipur result highlights: Durand Cup winner CM vows to end political football, The Economic Times, 16 March 2017.

In 2016, N. Biren Singh, who had been denied a ministerial berth in the Ibobi Singh government, revolted against Ibobi Singh along with 25 other legislators. The Congress high command tried to mollify him, by changing the state unit president, appointing Singh as the vice-president and party spokesperson. But the dissidents again grew unhappy with the home minister's lackadaisical treatment of the NSCN-IM (Naga militant group). In October 2016, Biren Singh resigned from the party as well as the Legislative Assembly, and joined the BJP. He was appointed as the party spokesperson and co-convenor of the election committee.

In November 2016, the Ibobi Singh government took the decision to create two new districts, Jiribam and Kangpokpi. The latter had been a longstanding demanding of the Kuki-Zo tribals that dominate the region. However, the Nagas were miffed that their ancestral land had been bifurcated, and imposed a blockade along the two highways that lead into the Imphal Valley. This caused a shortage of essential commodities in the Valley and prices shot up.Malladi Rama Rao, "The Verdict 2017: Manipur magic", Power Politics, 1 April 2017. Sushanta Talukdar, Tightrope walk, Frontline, 15 March 2017.

At the national level, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in power along with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners. The BJP had also created North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) in the Northeastern states. Its partners included the National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF), Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). and Janata Dal (United).

Parties contested

PartyFlagSymbolLeaderSeats contested Bharatiya Janata Party N. Biren Singh 60Indian National CongressOkram Ibobi Singh59 National People's Party Yumnam Joykumar Singh 20Lok Jan Shakti Party Ram Vilas Paswan17All India Trinamool CongressMamata Banerjee16 Naga People's Front Neiphiu Rio 15

Campaigning

Polling Voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines were used along with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in four assembly constituencies in Manipur.

Opinion polls Polling firm/Link Date BJP INC NPF AITC Other Axis - India Today Oct 2016 40-45 (48) 7-8 (10) 3-5 (5) 00 00

Results Results were declared on 11 March 2017.

+ ← Summary of the 4–8 March 2017 Manipur Legislative Assembly election results Parties and coalitions Popular vote Seats Votes % ±pp Won +/− Indian National Congress (INC) 582,056 35.1 6.9 28 19 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 601,539 36.3 34.2 21 21 Naga People's Front (NPF) 118,850 7.2 0.3 4 National People's Party (NPP) 83,744 5.1 3.9 4 4 Independents 83,834 5.1 1.8 1 1 Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) 42,263 2.5 1.9 1 All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) 23,384 1.4 15.6 1 4 None of the Above (NOTA) 9,062 0.6 0.6 colspan="2" Total 1,657,975 100.00 60 ±0Valid votes1,657,97599.96Invalid votes6910.04Votes cast / turnout 1,658,666 86.63Abstentions 255,88113.37Registered voters 1,914,547

Results by constituency No.ConstituencyIncumbentWinnerRunner-upMarginPartyCandidateParty Candidate VotesPartyCandidate Votes 1 KhundrakpamINCThokchom Lokeshwar SinghINC Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh12,849BJPThangjam Mohendro Singh9,7903,059 2 HeingangINCNongthombam Biren SinghBJP Nongthombam Biren Singh10,439AITCPangeijam Saratchandra Singh9,2331,206 3 KhuraiINCDr. Ng. Bijoy SinghBJP Leishangthem Susindro Meitei15,005INCDr. Ng. Bijoy Singh13,0611,944 4 KshetrigaoINCMd. Amin ShahBJP Nahakpam Indrajit Singh10,411INCMuhammad Amin Shah10,031380 5 ThongjuAITCThongam Biswajit SinghBJP Thongam Biswajit Singh16,809INCThokchom Ajit Singh9,5087,301 6 KeiraoMSCPKaram Thamarjit SinghBJP Lourembam Rameshwor Meetei5,959IndependentMuhammad Nasiruddin Khan5,421538 7 AndroAITCThounaojam ShyamkumarINC Thounaojam Shyamkumar18,948BJPDr. Nimaichand Luwang10,7877,986 8 LamlaiINCKshetrimayum Biren SinghINC Kshetrimayum Biren Singh12,339BJPKhongbantabam Ibomcha11,487852 9 ThangmeibandAITCKhumukcham Joykisan SinghINC Khumukcham Joykisan Singh11,596BJPJyotin Waikhom11,439157 10 UripokINCLaishram Nandakumar SinghNPP Yumnam Joykumar Singh6,469INCLaishram Nandakumar Singh6,124345 11 SagolbandMSCPRajkumar Imo SinghINC Rajkumar Imo Singh9,211BJPDr. Khwairakpam Loken Singh9,19219 12 KeishamthongNCPLaisom Ibomcha SinghNPP L. Jayantakumar10,000INCLaisom Ibomcha Singh6,7393,261 13 SingjameiINCIrengbam Hemochandra SinghBJP Yumnam Khemchand Singh9,459INCIrengbam Hemochandra Singh7,6251,834 14 Yaiskul INCElangbam Chand SinghBJP Thokchom Satyabrata Singh8,014INCElangbam Chand Singh7,444570 15 Wangkhei INCYumkham Erabot SinghINC Okram Henry Singh16,753BJPYumkham Erabot Singh12,4174,336 16 Sekmai (SC)INCKhwairakpam Devendro SinghBJP Heikham Dingo Singh13,163INCKhwairakpam Devendro Singh10,6312,532 17 Lamsang INCWangkheimayum Brajabidhu SinghBJP Sorokhaibam Rajen12,593INCWangkheimayum Brajabidhu Singh11,3131,280 18 Konthoujam AITCKonthoujam Sharat SinghBJP Dr. Sapam Ranjan Singh14,313INCKonthoujam Sharat Singh11,5412,772 19 Patsoi INCAkoijam Mirabai DeviINC Akoijam Mirabai Devi13,405NEIDPSapam Kunjakeswor Singh13,291114 20 Langthabal LJPKaram ShyamLJP Karam Shyam9,625BJPO. Joy Singh7,2942,331 21 Naoriya Pakhanglakpa INCR.K. AnandBJP Soibam Subhaschandra Singh8,609INCR.K. Anand6,9941,615 22 Wangoi AITCOinam Lukhoi SinghINC Oinam Lukhoi Singh7,443NPPKhuraijam Loken Singh7,40736 23 Mayang Imphal INCDr. Khumujam Ratankumar SinghBJP Kongkham Robindro Singh15,221INCDr. Khumujam Ratankumar Singh12,1273,094 24 Nambol INCNameirakpam Loken SinghINC Nameirakpam Loken Singh14,736BJPThounaojam Chaoba Singh14,456280 25 Oinam AITCDr. Irengbam IbohalbiBJP Laishram Radhakishore Singh12,029INCDr. Irengbam Ibohalbi Singh11,186843 26 Bishnupur INCKonthoujam GovindasINC Konthoujam Govindas14,150BJPKonthoujam Krishna Kumar Singh8,8725,278 27 Moirang INCMairembam Prithviraj SinghBJP Pukhrem Sharatchandra Sing11,708INCMairembam Prithviraj Singh11,333375 28 Thanga INCTongbram MangibabuAITC Tongbram Robindro Singh6,462BJPMoirangthem Asnikumar Singh5,4571,005 29 Kumbi INCSanasam Bira SinghINC Sanasam Bira Singh11,881BJPNingthoujam Mangi10,5701,311 30 Lilong INCMuhammad Abdul NasirINC Muhammad Abdul Nasir10,765IndependentY. Antas Khan9,4971,268 31 Thoubal INCOkram Ibobi SinghINC Okram Ibobi Singh18,649BJPLeitanthem Basanta Singh8,17910,470 32 Wangkhem INCKeisham Meghachandra SinghINC Keisham Meghachandra Singh11,293NEIDPYumnam Nabachandra Singh8,4132,880 33 Heirok INCMoirangthem OkendroBJP Thokchom Radheshyam Singh13,389INCMoirangthem Okendro11,7421,647 34 Wangjing TenthaINCPaonam BrojenINC Paonam Brojen12,830BJPMoirangthem Hemanta10,9671,863 35 KhangabokINCOkram Landhoni DevINC Surjakumar Okram20,781BJPThokchom Jadumani Singh11,3299,452 36 Wabgai Muhammad Fajur Rahim Muhammad Fajur Rahim12,474BJPDr. Usham Deben Singh7,7134,761 37 KakchingINCYengkhom Surchandra SinghINC Yengkhom Surchandra Singh11,133BJPM. Rameshwar Singh (Ramay)10,503630 38 HiyanglamAITCMaibam KunjoBJP Yumnam Radheshyam13,394INCElangbam Dwijamani Singh11,6691,725 39 SugnuINCKangujam Ranjit SinghINC Kangujam Ranjit Singh13,331BJPYumnam Jiban Singh10,1983,133 40 Jiribam INCThoudam Debendra SinghIndependent Ashab Uddin8,189INCThoudam Debendra Singh6,5391,650 41 Chandel (ST)NPFSt. Nunghlung VictorNPP Letpao Haokip14,216IndependentTs Warngam12,0912,125 42 Tengnoupal (ST)INCD. KorungthangINC D. Korungthang16,940BJPYangkholet Haokip12,2844,656 43 Phungyar (ST)INCVictor KeishingNPF Leishiyo Keishing11,900BJPSomi Awungshi7,1224,778 44 Ukhrul (ST)INCSamuel RisomINC Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur11,510BJPSomatai Shaiza11,214296 45 Chingai (ST)INCMK Preshow ShimrayNPF Khashim Vashum16,582BJPSword Vashum8,9327,650 46 Saikul (ST)INCYamthong HaokipINC Yamthong Haokip8,677NCPChungkhokai Doungel5,4163,261 47 Karong (ST)INCDr. V. Alexander PaoINC D. D. Thaisii14,038BJPR. Yuh Jonathan Tao9,7454,293 48 Mao (ST)NPFLosii DikhoNPFLosii Dikho25,933BJPWoba Joram10,51915,414 49 Tadubi (ST)INCM. Francis NgajokpaNPP N. Kayisii17,115BJPM. Francis Ngajokpa15,8161,299 50 KangpokpiMSCPNemcha KipgenBJP Nemcha Kipgen13,485IndependentKharga Tamang11,1882,297 51 Saitu (ST)INCNgamthang HaokipINC Ngamthang Haokip19,467BJPHaokholet Kipgen15,6503,817 52 Tamei (ST)INCZ. Kikhonbou NewmaiNPF Awangbow Newmai15,933BJPZ. Kikhonbou Newmai15,186747 53 Tamenglong (ST)MSCPJanghemlung PanmeiBJP Samuel Jendai Kamei13,023NPFJanghemlung Panmei11,0192,004 54 Nungba (ST)INCGaikhangamINC Gaikhangam10,255BJPAdim Pamei5,1085,147 55 Tipaimukh (ST)INCDr. Chaltonlien AmoINC Dr. Chaltonlien Amo4,997BJPDr. Lallukhum Fimate4,371626 56 Thanlon (ST)INCVungzagin ValteBJP Vungzagin Valte9,752INCChinkholal Thangsing2,5837,169 57 Henglep (ST)INCT. Manga VaipheiBJP T. Thangzalam Haokip8,438INCT. Manga Vaiphei8,170268 58 Churachandpur (ST)INCPhungzathang TonsingBJP V. Hangkhanlian10,246NPPPhungzathang Tonsing9,632614 59 Saikot (ST)INCT. N. HaokipINC T. N. Haokip16,354BJPPaokholal Haokip11,2535,101 60 Singhat (ST)INCGinsuanhauINC Ginsuanhau8,131BJPChinlunthang6,9691,162

Government formation On 15 March 2017, N. Biren Singh was sworn as the Chief Minister, having formed a coalition with National People's Party, Naga People's Front and the Lok Janshakti Party. This marked the first time that the Bharatiya Janata Party has formed a government in Manipur. The Indian National Congress remained the single largest party in the legislature.

By-elections Date Constituency WinnerParty7 November 2020 Wangoi Oinam Lukhoi Singh LilongY.Antas Khan Wangjing Tentha Paonam Brojen Singh Saitu Ngamthang Haokip SinghatGinsuanhau Zou

References

Bibliography

External links Manipur election 2017 date