Supporters rejoice as leaders keep fingers crossed

IMPHAL: As the results of the Manipur assembly election poured in on Saturday, workers of different parties burst firecrackers rejoicing at the victory of their candidates and setting the mood for the five-day Yaoshang (Holi) festival beginning on Sunday.
But the initial euphoria gave way to subdued celebrations as no clear leads were indicated either for the BJP or the ruling Congress.Even at the time of filing of this report, it looked like the state was heading for a hung house with both the Congress and the BJP running neck and neck. The party offices of the two rivals wore a sombre look with all eyes focused on the large LCDs on the walls. After the nail-biting suspense, what kept hopes afloat were the pending results from the remaining seats.
At the Congress Bhawan here, leaders were seen pacing up and down the floor with their mobiles fixed to their ears. They were being kept updated on the results by their workers over the phone.
Similar was the scene at the BJP office at Neteipat Chuthek near the Imphal Raj Bhavan. "We have been busy doing the calculations for our winning and losing candidates. There are more results to pour in," said Manipur unit BJP general secretary Nongthombam Nimbus Singh.
Manipur went to the assembly election in two phases on March 4 for 38 seats and March 8 for 22 seats. The counting of votes began at the district headquarters at 8 in the morning. After about two hours when both the rivals started running neck and neck, youngsters of both parties broke into a Thabal Chongba, a traditional Manipuri dance, while others swayed to the tunes of traditional Manipuri songs. Victory slogans rent the air as supporters took to the streets. A procession of vehicles with supporters sporting party caps and scarves coursed through the city giving the police a tough time controlling the traffic.
The winning candidates were felicitated with garlands. A large number of workers also organized grand feasts at the homes of the victorious candidates.
"I wholeheartedly campaigned for our NPP candidate Y Joykumar Singh in Uripok in the last couple of months. Last night, I prayed for his success. He got elected today and my happiness knows no bounds. I celebrated with my family," said Ajit Singh, a voter.
"We are happy our candidate N Biren Singh of the BJP won from the Heingang constituency," said Tomba Singh, another voter, adding that the victory has given them all the more reason to celebrate Holi in a big way.
"Our dream is to have a peaceful and prosperous Manipur. We hope the next government will resolve the ongoing UNC-sponsored economic blockade on the National Highway and take up measures to protect and safeguard Manipur's territorial integrity," he added.