“We’ll win an absolute majority. Manipur has a lot of problems.We tried to address them by respecting the interests of all sections.”

Manipur’s Incumbent Chief Minister predicts absolute majority in the 2012 polls

Five parties-NCP, RJD, CPM, JD (U) and Manipur People’s Party (MPP)-have come together against him. Yet, Singh doesn’t look seriously threatened. Accused of almost finishing political opponents, many believe, if there’s a change, it would come from within the Congress. His party rivals are reportedly backing PCC chief Gaikhangam, a Zeliangrong Naga.

Every voter should have an opportunity to choose their representative of their choice and too many restrictions both by insurgents and authorities was ‘not advisable’.

Ibobi was having a dream run until seven militant outfits called for a ban on Congress this election. They are the Chief Minister’s biggest headache. There are reports of Congressmen failing to campaign freely. “Such threats are on the surface, but can never reach the people’s hearts,” Singh says.

Until Singh became Chief Minister in 2002, no government had completed a full term in Manipur. Singh not only accomplished this but he also brought the party to power twice. “He can take Manipur’s problems to Delhi and the Centre listens,” says N Biren Singh, a minister. However, rights groups accuse the government of allowing extrajudicial killings. There is also anger over Singh’s failure to ensure supplies during the recent blockade. “During Ibobi’s rule, there were fake encounters, curfews, corruption and economic blockade,” MPP chief Nimaichand Luwang says.

Constituencies - 60 a . Valley - 41 b . Hills - 19 Party - Wise candidates CPI - 24 NCP - 22 Congress - 60 Trinamul Congress - 47 BJP - 19 MSCP - 34 CPM - 2 Others/Indepedents - 60

Total Candidates - 279 a . Male - 265 b . Female - 14 Results 2007 CPI - 24 Congress - 60 NCP - 5 CPI - 4 Others - 21 Total electorate - 1741581 a . Male - 850387 b . Female - 891194

Present Assembly party position CPI - 24 Congress - 29 CPI - 3 MPP - 5 NCP - 4 RJD - 3 NPP - 3 Trinamul - 1 Indipendents - 10

Lackluster campaigning for the January 28th Manipur Assembly polls was at a very low ebb with candidates confined to hoisting flags at their houses and those of their supporters. Reports from all districts said that apart from hoisting flags at their houses, candidates were doing house-to-house campaigns to woo voters in their favour. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is a major issue in the state and the political parties raised this issue during the campaigning.

Reports said that the candidates, while campaigning, were also concentrating on the erratic power supply, shortage of drinking water, insurgency problem and the previous government’s failure to make the national highways free from trouble.

There have not been any major public meetings of any party to woo voters in any part of the state and this may be due to restrictions imposed by various insurgent outfits on political parties.

Political observers said no political parties or their supporters have been campaigning in favour of their candidates by using public loud speaker systems nor have they put up any posters at any public places in favour of their candidates. It is silent all over and the polls in the state this time around are totally different from those in the past.

Political observers say that every voter should have an opportunity to choose their representative of their choice and too many restrictions both by insurgents and authorities was ‘not advisable’.

Manipuri society may be predominantly woman centric but politics has remained a male bastion for ages. Women voters have outnumbered men since the 1990 polls but, they have not been able to make their presence felt in the political scenario of this picturesque state in the North East.

Poll officials said that there are 14 women candidates of whom 10 are from the four valley districts and the remaining four from the hill districts. The lone woman legislator O Landhoni, who is the wife of Chief Minister M Ibobi Singh, is contesting as a Congress nominee from her native Khangabok seat in Thoubal district. In contrast, there were just six women candidates in the last Assembly elections.

L Mema, President of Manipur Keithel Phambi Apunba Lup, a woman vendors’ body in IMA Keithel, the biggest of them managed by the fair sex in the region, says women have not dominated politics as they have done in the society because of lack of proper financial support and heavy social responsibilities. “The women unlike their men counterparts do not resort to muscle and money power to fight the polls,” she said. “There are chances of women winning the polls if there is a free and fair poll without the use of money and muscle power,” says Mema, leader of Meira Paibi, an anti-liquor body.  So far the Assembly has just seen four women MLAs including sitting member Landhoni with the other former MLAs being Keisham Apabi Dev, Hamingla Shaiza, and Wahengbam Leima Devi.

Except for the constituencies of Karong, Tadubi, Kangpooki and Thanlong, female voters outnumber males in all the 60 seats. “The male dominance in politics apart, the fate of the candidates in the January 28th polls will be decided by women only,” says T Nenie Haokip, a woman activist. This time 14 women candidates including three from Congress, two from Manipur State Congress Party, one each from BJP, CPM and Trinamool Congress, are in the fray against the six in the previous 2007 polls.

 

IBOBI STROKES Ibobi faced anti-AFSPA stir after Manorama Devi’s rape & murder Repealed AFSPA from Imphal city Convinced Centre to remove Assam Rifles from Kangla Fort In his second term, public anger rose over extra-judicial killings Stopped NSCN (IM) leader Th Muivah from entering Manipur.

Three decades after it was imposed in Manipur to deal with insurgents, the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is still an issue used by parties during electioneering for the January 28 Assembly poll in the state. While parties like the BJP and NCP are in favour of creating an atmosphere for removing the AFSPA, CPI (M) and Manipur People’s Party (MPP), the oldest regional party of the state, were for outright removal of the Act. The ruling Congress, however, is yet to declare its views on the Act which was imposed in Manipur in September, 1980 when insurgent activities were at their peak in the state.

While releasing the party manifesto, NCP General Secretary PA Sangma had said that his party would create an atmosphere for the removal of the Act if his party came to power.

NCP will raise the issue during campaigning, he said. The BJP too has said in its manifesto that it would create an atmosphere and bring the law and order situation to normalcy so that the AFSPA would no longer be necessary.

Leaders of the Congress say that the state unit was in consultation with the High Command to bring out its manifesto and were tight lipped about the Act.

A spokesman of the Manipur People’s Party (MPP), which had ruled the state twice, said the party would work for the removal of the Act from the state if it came to power. Asked why they did not remove the Act when it was in power, the spokesman said the situation was different then.

EP Desk