Manipur Election: voting concludes amid violence; 5 killed 2 injured

The assembly election in Manipur conclude today amid violence in which five persons including a woman and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel have been killed and two left injured.

Despite the violence, the people exercised their voting rights and caste 82% of the total voting, according to official sources. However, the complete news is yet to come from all the nine district.

State’s Chief electoral officer P C Lawmkunga said that as per preliminary official reports, 82 per cent of the voters out of total 17.40 lakh electorate have cast their votes, however the detail reports are yet to come.

According to official sources, the violence reports have come from chandel and Senapati districts where five persons including a CRPF personnel, a women, one polling officer and two civilians were reported dead at a polling station in Chandel district when the militants tried to capture a booth. The two two others were injured when militants attacked on security forces.

After concluding the election, the fate of several prominent leaders including Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh (Thoubal), former deputy chief minister L Chandramani Singh (Patsoi), and former chief minister and NCP chief Radhabinod Koijam (Thangmeiband) were sealed.

The other top leaders who fought in this election fray are: Forest Minister and Congress leader Th Debendra (Jiribam), Congress nominee and Speaker I Hemochandra Singh (Shingjamei), Manipur people's party (MPP) leader.

The voting held through electronic voting machines (EVMs).

A total of 279 candidates have exercised their fate in this assembly elction.

As many as 12,967 polling personnel were deployed for the elections at 2,357 polling stations.

This time Congress and CPI the current partner in the ruling government (Secular Progressive Front) fought separately. Congress contested all the 60 seats while CPI fought on 24 seats.

Extending its power in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress, which has one legislator in Manipur contested alone in 47 seats.

Peoples Democratic Front, an opposition five-party alliance comprising Manipur Peoples Party, NCP, CPI-M, Janata Dal (U) and RJD, contested 43 seats.

BJP fielded candidates in 19 seats and Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) in 34. Manipur unit of Nagaland-based party, Naga Peoples Front (NPF), contested in 12 constituencies in the hills.