Naga talks, AFSPA in focus as last phase of polling begins in Manipur

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and his wife Hiyainu Devi show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting their vote for the first phase of Manipur Assembly Elections. Credit: PTI Photo

Polling for the remaining 22 Assembly constituencies in Manipur began at 7 am amid tight security and hope for good turnouts.

A total of 92 candidates, of which only two women, are in the fray for the second and last phase of polling.

A little over 8.38 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in 1,247 polling stations in six districts — Thoubal, Jiribam, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong.

Former Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader, Okram Ibobi Singh, who served as CM three times in a row between 2002 and 2017, is the prominent face in the second phase of elections. Singh is contesting in the Thoubal seat.

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The first phase of polling in 38 out of 60 seats witnessed 88.63 per cent voter turnout.

All eyes are on the seats in Thoubal district in the valley, which is believed to be a stronghold of principle opposition Congress. The focus will also be on at least 11 constituencies in the hills in Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong districts, where Nagas call the shots in every election. The fight in the hills will be between BJP and Naga People's Front (NPF), a partner of the BJP-led government in Manipur since 2017. The NPF has put up candidates in 10 seats and is eyeing the "kingmaker" position for the next government. In 2017, NPF and National People's Party (NPP) had won four seats each and helped BJP to form its first government in the state.

Issues concerning identity of the indigenous communities and development took centre stage in the first phase of polling but Naga talks, AFSPA and the alleged disparity in developing between hills and the valley are likely to influence voting in the hills. BJP has highlighted development initiatives taken since 2017 to bridge the alleged disparity while Congress focussed on the issue of militancy and AFSPA in their campaign in the hills.

BJP is contesting in all 22 seats in the second phase while Congress has put up candidates in 18 seats. NPP and Janta Dal (United) of Nitish Kumar have fielded candidates in 11 and 10 seats respectively in the final phase.

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