GUWAHATI, June 4: The Northeastern region which together sends 25 MPs to the Lok Sabha provided a mixed bag of emotions for the BJP. While the party won both the Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura, it suffered a setback in Manipur, losing both the seats in the strife-torn state. The NPP, which is the BJP’s ally in the North-East Democratic Alliance and the National Democratic Alliance, suffered a setback in both the seats in Meghalaya, losing to the VPP in Shillong and the Congress in Tura.
In Assam, the BJP has won nine seats (Guwahati, Diphu, Kaziranga, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, Dibrugarh, Darrang-Udalguri, Silchar, and Karimganj). NDA allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) bagged Barpeta and Kokrajhar, respectively.
Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi bagged the Jorhat seat, Rakibul Hussain won from Dhubri while Pradyut Bordoloi secured a win in Nagaon.
The favourable outcome for BJP in Arunachal came in the wake of its success in the recent Assembly elections, with Union minister and senior BJP leader Kiren Rijiju defeating Congress leader Nabam Tuki by 1,00,738 votes to bag the Arunachal West seat.
On the other hand, BJP leader Tapir Gao defeated Bosiram Siram of Congress by a margin of 30,421 votes to win the Arunachal East seat.
In Tripura, former chief minister and BJP leader Biplab Kumar Deb defeated Congress’ Asish Kumar Saha by a massive margin of 6,11,578 votes to secure the Tripura West constituency while Kriti Devi Debbarman of the BJP got the better of CPI (M) candidate Rajendra Reang by 4,86,819 votes to win the Tripura East seat.
In Mizoram, Richard Vanlalhmangaiha of the state’s ruling party (Zoram People’s Movement) defeated K Vanlalvena of the Mizo National Front by 68,288 votes.
In Nagaland, S Supongmeren Jamir of Congress defeated Chumben Murry of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) by 50,984 votes.
In Sikkim, riding on a winning performance in the Assembly elections, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha had the last laugh with its candidate Indra Hang Subba defeating Bharat Basnett of Citizen Action Party to bag the lone Sikkim seat by 80,830 votes.
In Manipur, Alfred Kanngam S Arthur of Congress bagged the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat against Kachui Timothy Zimik of Naga People’s Front (NPF), winning by 85,418 votes. In the Inner Manipur seat, Angomcha Bimol Akoijam of Congress defeated BJP’s Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh by 1,09,801 votes.
