Imphal, February 17: The voting for the Manipur Assembly Elections 2022 will take place in to phases on February 28 and March 5. The counting of votes in Manipur will take place along with four other states – Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Uttar Pradesh – on March 10 and on the same day, the results will be declared. There are a total of 60 seats in the Manipur Assembly. Manipur Assembly Elections 2022: EC Revises Polling Dates; Voting for Phase 1 To Be Held on February 28, Phase 2 on March 5.

In the Manipur Assembly Elections 2022, the main contest will be between the Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, smaller parties, such as the National People's Party (NPP), Naga People's Front (NPF) and Janata Dal-United (JD-U), can play a key role in the government formation as it happened in 2017. Among the key candidates contesting in phase 1 of the state assembly elections are - incumbent Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Manipur Congress working president Ratankumar Singh. Thirty-eight seats are going to the polls in the first phase.

Here Is The List Of Five Key Candidates In Phase 1 Polls:

N Biren Singh: The BJP has fielded Singh from his traditional Heingang constituency. Singh is contesting against Congress candidate PANGEIJAM SARATCHANDRA SINGH. Biren Singh was first elected to the Manipur assembly in 2002 as the Democratic Revolutionary Peoples Party (DRPP) candidate in the Heingang constituency. Later, in 2003 he joined the Congress. He switched to the BJP in 2016.

Thongam Biswajit Singh: PWD minister Biswajit Singh is contesting the Manipur Vidhan Sabha polls from the Thongju constituency in the East Imphal district. He is contesting against Congress candidate SERAM NEKEN SINGH and JDU's Sanglakpam Preshyojit Sharma.

Govindas Konthoujam: Govindas Konthoujam, the former Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president who joined BJP recently, is contesting from the Bishnepur assembly seat. The Congress fielded Ningthoujam Joykumar Singh, and the JDU gave the ticket to Oinam Nabakishore Singh from this Vidhan Sabha seat.

Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh: The Congress has fielded former speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly Thokchom Lokeshwar Singh from Khundrakpam assembly constituency. He is contesting against BJP's Thangjam Mohendro Singh.

Ratankumar Singh: Working president of Manipur Congress Ratankumar Singh is contesting the polls from the Mayang Imphal seat. The BJP has fielded Kongkham Robindro Singh from this constituency.

In the 2017 Manipur elections, the Congress emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats. However, the BJP, who had won 21 seats, managed to form the government with 33 MLAs after the NPP, the NPF and an independent MLA extended support to the saffron party. Notably, one MLA each of LJP, Congress, Trinamool Congress joined the BJP.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 17, 2022 02:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).