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IMPHAL: BJP candidate Leisemba Sanajaoba won the election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Manipur on Friday, defeating the Congress nominee in a high-voltage political drama.
Sanajaoba, the titular king of Manipur, received 28 votes, officials said.
Congress candidate T Mangi Babu got 24 votes, they said.
The win will be a major boost to the ruling BJP-led coalition in the state which was on a sticky wicket after the rebellion of nine MLAs.
Three BJP MLAs of the nine, who have resigned from the primary membership of the party and the post of the legislator, did not cast their votes.
Four National People’s Party (NPP) ministers, who had withdrawn their support to the ruling coalition, have, however, exercised their franchise.
Lone Trinamool Congress MLA T Robindro Singh, who also pulled out of the N Biren Singh-led dispensation, also did not cast his vote.
Three Congress defectors — Ksh Biren Singh, S Bira Singh, Surchandra Singh — were not allowed to cast their votes as cases are pending against them.
One recently disqualified MLA was also barred from taking part in the voting process.
Manipur has 60 assembly seats.
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