Imphal, Jun 4 (IANS): Congress candidates are leading in both Manipur Lok Sabha constituencies with a comfortable margin, leaving behind the nominees of the ruling BJP and its ally Naga People’s Front (NPF).

Congress’ Angomcha Bimol Akoijam is leading by a comfortable margin of 69,452 votes in the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat against BJP leader and state Education Minister Thounaojam Basanta Kumar Singh.

Singh was leading after the initial rounds of counting.

In the tribal reserve Outer Manipur parliamentary seat, Congress' Alfred Kanngam S. Arthur is leading by 45,644 votes against NPF nominee Kachui Timothy Zimik, as per the counting trends of the Lok Sabha elections coming out of the Election Commission of India (ECI) data on Tuesday.

Counting of votes is underway at 24 counting centres across 11 districts in the state.

Six candidates are contesting the Inner Manipur seat, while four aspirants are in the fray for the Outer Manipur seat, dominated by the people belonging to Naga and Kuki-Zomi tribals.

The elections in the two Lok Sabha seats in violence-ravaged Manipur were held in two phases on April 19 and April 26.