JOIN US38 Manipur seats go to polls today, 173 candidates in fray
A bomb blast and firing on a JD(U) candidate by miscreants raised questions about the law and order situation in Manipur as the state began voting on Monday in 38 out of 60 Assembly constituencies.
Over 12 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in 1,721 polling stations to decide the fate of 173 candidates in five districts, Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kangpokpi, and Churachandpur.
Unidentified miscreants fired at Wanglembam Rohit Singh at around 12.30 am on Sunday when he was meeting his supporters at Naharup Makhapat in Imphal East district. Singh is a JD(U) candidate in Kshetrigao Assembly constituency in Imphal East district. Singh was admitted to a hospital with bullet injury on his chest.
A few hours before, a blast carried out by miscreants at Gangpimual village in Churachandpur district killed three persons and injured five others. Police said the explosion was carried out by a mortar.
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Violence ahead of elections led the Opposition Congress, National People’s Party (NPP), and JD(U) to move the Election Commission seeking more steps for peaceful conduct of the elections.
The father of an NPP candidate was shot at by miscreants on February 18 during campaigning. Opposition parties have raised questions about the law and order situation as BJP claimed that it brought peace to Manipur since it formed its first government in 2017.
Both the NPP and the JD(U), an ally of BJP have put up 38 candidates each and have set a target to emerge as the single largest party this time.
NPP is a partner of the BJP-led government in Manipur since 2017.
BJP this time has set the target for the absolute majority.
Congress, on the other hand, has tied up with five smaller parties including the Left parties to bounce back to power.
Polling in 22 other constituencies will be held in the second and final phase on March 5.