Guwahati: Electioneering came to an end on Thursday for the first phase of assembly polls in Manipur. The first phase of election will be held in 38 Assembly constituencies on March 4. A total of 168 candidates including 11 Independents and seven women are in the fray for first phase.
The BJP is the only party which is contesting in all the 38 Legislative Assembly Constituencies (LACs) in the first phase. There is no Congress candidate in the Churachandpur and the Kangpokpi constituencies in first phase election. Most of the constituencies will see straight fights. Manipur has total 60 constituencies spread over the hills and valley districts.
The election is being held under tight security and heavy deployment of paramilitary forces in the state where economic blockade called by United Naga Council (UNC) has made life difficult for common people since November 1 last year. There has been pressure on some tribal politicians by some pressures groups not to contest as candidates of the ruling Congress that is facing the ire of tribal from the hill districts especially Nagas for creating seven new districts out of tribal dominated hill areas of the state.
The ruling Congress which has been in power in the state since 2002 under the chief minister Ibobi Singh is facing a stiff challenge from the BJP this election.
The BJP has launched a high-voltage campaign in the state with almost all the senior party leaders including the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh hitting the campaign trail in the state. The Congress campaign as usual has been led by Rahul Gandhi.
The BJP has promised to turn around the backward and problems-ridden Manipur at the fastest pace while accusing the `corrupt and inefficient’ Congress government of sitting through the last 15 years. The BJP also promises to resolve the unrelenting economic blockade in the state once it comes to power in the state.
The ruling Congress alleges ‘secret’ understanding among the BJP, UNC and Naga rebel group NSCN-IM and raised the alarm that the state of Manipur would be disintegrated if the BJP assumes power in the state.
The Congress dares the BJP-led Centre to make public the content of the secret Framework of Agreement it had signed with the NSCN-IM in August, 2015.
