Manipur: Cong set to retain power

IMPHAL: The ruling Congress led by chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh is marching towards a majority and all set to form the third consecutive government in Manipur. Of the 27 seats declared so far, the Congress has won 19 seats.

The state assembly has 60 seats.

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has retained his Thoubal seat defeating his rival Indira Oinam of the BJP by over 15,000 votes. His wife Landhoni Devi retained her Khangabok seat defeating her main rival Jatra Singh of Manipur People's Party (MPP) by over 9000 votes.

The opposition alliance received a set back with its top three leaders - Radhabinod Koijam (NCP), O Joy Singh (MPP) and Th Chaoba Singh (MPP) - losing the elections.

Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has won four seats so far, while Jok Janashakti Party (LJP) and Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) have won one seat each.

The Naga People's Front (NPF), which went to the election on the issue of integration of Naga areas of northeast, has opened its account winning two seats in Senapati distrcit. But, the party performed below its expectation. Manipur has eleven Naga-dominated constituencies.

Prominent winners in Congress include state PCC president Gaikhangam and Government spokesman N Biren Singh.

After winning his Heingang seat, Biren Singh said the Congress will get an absolute majority. "We are forming the government on our own. We will not win less than 35 seats," Singh said.

Manipur Assembly Elections 2012

Elections 2012 News

Election results: BJP-MGP combine leading in Goa

PANAJI: The BJP-MGP combine was leading in nine seats in Goa while ruling Congress bagged one seat and was leading in another in the 40-member assembly.

BJP was leading in eight seats while its alliance partner MGP was ahead in one.

Congress candidate Mauvin Godinho won the Dabolim seat defeating his nearest rival Premanand Nasnodkar of MGP by a margin of 944 votes.

MGP candidate and sitting MLA Deepak Dhavalikar is leading from Priol.

Congress was leading in Quepem while its ally NCP was leading in Tivim.

BJP sitting MLA Damodar Naik is facing tough fight in Fatorda from independent Vijay Sardessai, who is leading by 996 votes.

Goa Vikas Party has maintained its leading trend in two constituencies in South Goa in the second round too.

Goa Assembly Elections 2012

Elections 2012 News

Election results 2012: BJP, Cong in neck-and-neck race in Uttarakhand

DEHRA DUN:- A neck-and-neck race is on in Uttarakhand in the 70-member Assembly.

Both the Congress and the BJP were leading in about the same number of seats. The latest trends from Uttarakhand showed that Congress was leading in 31 seats and BJP followed closely with 25.

BSP was leading in five seats while Uttarakhand Kranti Dal-Panwar (UKD-P) was leading in one seat while others were ahead in the rest of the five seats.

Chief minister B C Khanduri was trailing from Kotdwar seat by 90 votes against S S Negi of Congress.

Congress leader Indira Haridayesh was leading with 4000 votes from Haldwani constituency against Renu Adhikari of BJP.

However, state BJP president Bishan Singh Chufal was leading by 688 votes from Didihaat constituency.

Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat said his party will get "comfortable majority" in Uttarakhand to form government on its own.

"As far as chief ministership is concerned, that will be decided by the party. But Congress will form the government in Uttarakhand that I am confident. We will form the government with the quite good margin," Rawat, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, said.

The Congress leader expressed full faith in the wisdom of the people of the state and said that Congress will get comfortable majority. To a question whether he will be made chief minister of the state in case Congress is voted to power, the Congress party leader said, "Harish Rawat is a humble soldier. Our focus is on the future. Congress traditionally does not project a leader where we are not in power".

Uttarakhand Assembly Elections 2012

UP assembly elections 2012: CM will be Mulayam, says Akhilesh

LUCKNOW:- As Uttar Pradesh headed towards a hung Assembly, the Samajwadi Party today said it was too early to say whether it would approach Congress for support in the formation of the next government.

"It all depends upon what numbers we get...It is too early to say anything," was the refrain of SP leader Akhilesh Yadav when asked whether his party would align with Congress after having emerged the single largest party in the politically crucial state.

At the same time, he doubted whether Congress, leading the coalition at the Centre, will impose President's Rule in UP in the wake of a hung vedict. "I doubt they will go for President's Rule...but if that happens, we'll certainly oppose it," he said.

Akhilesh, who led the SP campaign, declared that he was "not in the race" for the chief ministership and the post will go to "Netaji" - his father Mulayam Singh Yadav- as he was the "popular choice" of the party cadre.

He steered clear of questions as to what advice he had for Rahul Gandhi who spearheaded the Congress campaign.

While refusing to comment on the rule of BSP supremo Mayawati, he said the money spent on parks and memorials could have been better spent on development of the state.

SP is leading in 196 seats in Uttar Pradesh but is still short of the majority magic figure to form the government in the 403-member House.

The party needs a figure of 202 seats in the House to form the government.

BSP, which won majority in the 2007 assembly polls with 206 seats, is leading in 97 seats while the Congress-RLD combine is leading in 51 and BJP in 49. Others are ahead in 11.