Voting began in Manipur on Monday with the first phase of state elections for 38 of the 60 parliamentary seats in five districts – Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi. Chief Minister N. Biren Singh is one of the main candidates. He will start from the home of the Black Steel and aim for a fifth term. Voting begins at 7am. It will last until 4pm. Manipur is a key state in the northeast and the BJP is struggling to maintain its presence in the northeast.

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The second phase of Manipur elections will be held on March 5; ballots will be counted on March 10.

Here are ten points about Manipur’s 2022 general election:

1. In riot-affected states, voting takes place under tight security. “The large number of security personnel from Assam and Manipur is expected to coordinate smoothly,” said the chairman, Dr. ANI news agency quoted Syed Ahmed as saying.

2. Voter turnout in the state was 11.68% as of 10 a.m., according to the Board of Elections.

3. Speaker Y Khemchand Singh from Singjamei, Deputy Prime Minister Yumnam Joykumar Singh from Uripok and State Assembly Chairman N Lokesh Singh from Nambol are the other leading candidates in the first phase. A total of 173 candidates entered the competition in the first stage, including 15 women.

4. Congress is the main challenger to the BJP. It has formed a six-party coalition, the Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA). Allies include the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Advance Group, the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Janata Dal (secular).

5. AFSPA, which gives the military broad powers, has become a campaign issue in the state, with Congress promising to repeal the controversial law when it comes to power.

6. In the 2017 Manipur elections, Congress was the largest single party with 28 out of 60 seats. But the BJP was able to form a government with the National People’s Party (NPP), Naga Popular Front (NPF) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).

7. This time, the BJP opted to go it alone – competing for all 60 seats.

8. Despite calls for a leadership change, N. Biren Singh became the face of the BJP.

9. Congress regaining lost ground is the key option. The party is battling many power struggles. Hours before the vote, the party ruled out its candidate Wangoi AC, Salam Joy Singh, according to PTI news agency.

10. Polling booths will comply with all Covid norms. Those infected with Covid-19 or quarantined can vote for their candidate between 3pm and 4pm.

Complete News Source : Hindutsan Times