Braving all odds and resisting challenges from within and outside the state, Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh single-handedly drove his party to the third consecutive victory in militant-infested Manipur, with the ruling Congress party winning 42 seats in the 60-member Assembly.
In a state where neither Congress president Sonia Gandhi nor Rahul Gandhi were visible during the elections campaign, Mr Ibobi stood against the Opposition alliance which failed to make their presence felt after the counting of votes on Tuesday.
The jubilation was visible in the Congress camp as Mr Singh retained his Thoubal seat, defeating his BJP rival Indira Oinam by over 15,000 votes.