IMPHAL, Oct 20 � Continuing its good show from the last Assembly polls and subsequent Lok Sabha elections, the Congress today won the by-election to the Hiyanglam Assembly seat in Manipur�s Thoubal district.
Congress candidate Elangbam Dwijamani beat his nearest rival Dr Y Radheshyam of All India Trinamool Congress by 1,829 votes in the October 17 by-poll, informed official sources. Dwijamani polled 9,008 votes and Radheshyam 7,179 votes.
Dwijamani, who was elected as an MLA from Hiyanglam in 2007 Assembly election by defeating M Kunjo of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) , had contested unsuccessfully from the constituency in 2012 elections but lost to Kunjo by just 17 votes.
Kunjo�s son Maibam Dhanabir of the BJP was placed third with 6,306 votes while Manipur People�s Party candidate M Amutombi got 615 votes. Manipur State Congress Party�s Th Laiba garnered 93 votes.
Sources revealed that 46 voters opted for None of the Above Option (NOTA) . A total of 23,247 voters including 11,203 male and 12,044 females out of 24,492 voters of the constituency exercised their franchise.
The Hiyanglam by-election was held following the sudden demise of sitting Trinamool MLA Maibam Kunjo on August 11 this year. With Dwijamani�s win, Congress now has 48 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly, while Opposition Trinamool has six legislators, Naga People�s Front four and NCP and Lok Janshakti Party one legislator each.
Deputy Chief Minister Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee chief Gaikhangam said the poll result clearly shows that there is no Modi wave in Manipur. People continue to have the confidence on Congress leadership in the State, he added. MPCC is organising a reception for Dwijamani tomorrow.