Messages from the States

KALYAN CHAUDHURI

Total seats 2Arunachal Congress 2

THE ruling Arunachal Congress registered its first victory through the ballot when it captured both the Lok Sabha seats in the State. Omak Apang, the eldest son of Chief Minister Gegong Apang, won the West Arunachal seat by a margin of about 45,000 votes in a triangular contest. The Congress(I) candidate was Jorbam Gamlin. The seat was held earlier by an independent. Wangcha Rajkumar retained the East Arunachal seat by defeating Sotai Kri of the BJP by more than 27,000 votes in a four-cornered contest.The Arunachal Congress came into being in September 1996 when the entire State Congress(I) unit, led by Gegong Apang, dissociated itself from the national party. This was the first time the Arunachal Congress tested its electoral strength.

Total seats 2CPI 1Manipur State Congress 1

THOUNAOJAM CHAOBA SINGH of the Manipur State Congress won the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 16,187 votes. His nearest rival was Okram Joy Singh of the Manipur People's Party (MPP). Congress(I) candidate Nimalchand Luwang came a close third in a multi-party contest, in which the CPI and the Rashtriya Janata Dal also figured. Rim Gangte of the CPI won the Outer Manipur seat, which is reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. He defeated Holkhomang Haokip of the BJP by 2,469 votes in a multi-party contest.

Total seats 1Independent 1

INDEPENDENT candidate H. Lallungmuana defeated the Congress(I)'s J. Lalsangzuala by a narrow margin of 41 votes. R. Lalthangliana of the Mizo National Front came third. The BJP's and the RJD's candidates finished fourth and fifth respectively. The sole Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram is reserved for Scheduled Tribes.