Voting continues for 22 seats in the second phase of Manipur Assembly elections, the fate of 92 candidates at stake

In the second phase of Manipur Assembly elections, voting is being held for 22 seats in six districts today. Over 300 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed in Thoubal, Jiribam, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong districts for the voting to be held today. Thoubal falls in the Valley region, while the other five districts are in the mountainous regions of Myanmar along the border with Assam and Nagaland, prompting security forces to keep a high vigil along the international and inter-state borders.

Voters will decide the electoral fate of 92 candidates

8,47,400 voters, including 4,28,968 women, will decide the electoral fate of 92 candidates, including two women, at 1,247 polling stations. Today’s vote will decide the electoral fate of Congress’ three-time (2002-2017) Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh as well as several BJP ministers and sitting MLAs. Singh, a 74-year-old veteran, is contesting from Thoubal assembly seat in Thoubal district and is in an all-out contest against BJP’s Litanthem Basanta Singh, Janata Dal-United’s Irom Chaoba Singh and Shiv Sena’s Consum Michael Singh.

Congress did not field candidates on four out of 22 assembly seats

The main opposition Congress has not fielded candidates in four of the 22 assembly seats—Chandel, Mao, Tadubi, Tamenglong and political circles—and the political circles saw it as a candidate for Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) is supporting candidates. The NPP, which has been an ally of the BJP in both Meghalaya and Manipur since 2017, is contesting separately in Manipur this time. The BJP had secured 21 seats in 2017 and came to power in the state for the first time after forming a coalition government with various parties including the NPP and the Naga People’s Front (NPF).

Counting of votes will be done on March 10

However, this time all three are contesting separately and pitting candidates against each other. The Congress, which ruled the state for 15 consecutive years till 2017, formed the Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance after forming a pre-poll alliance with four Left parties and the Janata Dal-Secular. The first phase of polling was held on February 28 in 38 seats, when 88.63 per cent of the 12,09,439 voters exercised their franchise. Counting of votes will take place on March 10. In the first phase, 38 seats went to polls on March 3.