The campaigning for the second and the last phase of polls in 22 constituencies of Manipur ended on Thursday. One of the key focuses in this phase would be the six seats in Thoubal district - a Congress stronghold and the home turf of three-time Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh. Out of the six seats in Thoubal, the Congress in 2017 won five and the remaining one seat went to the BJP.
To put up a strong fight against the Congress in its stronghold, mega BJP rallies addressed by PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were held. The main target of these rallies was Ibobi Singh.
"When the Congress was in power in the state, their main leader was called "Mr 10 per cent," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, earlier this week in a virtual rally in Thoubal, in an oblique reference to allegations of corruption against Okram Ibobi Singh.
Amit Shah also campaigned in the only constituency in the district with the BJP.
"There was only one start-up in Manipur in the 15 years - Gandhi family start-up. Now, we have helped over 5000 start-ups in Manipur and Modi ji has given subsidy of Rs 66 crore for that. Ibobi Singh says the prices of LPG cylinders have gone up. I want to remind him that during his time he imposed blockades resulting in shooting up of the price of gas to Rs 3000," he said in a rally at Heirok , the only constituency in Thoubal which is with the BJP.
The Congress, which lost 16 of its MLAs to the BJP in the last five years, is trying hard to hold on to its stronghold.
"They talk about 10 percent, this is a wild allegation, rather in the BJP rule, in everything percentage has to be given" said Surja Kumar Okram, Ibobi singh's son and Congress Candidate in Thoubal district's Khangabok constituency.
Thoubal is also home to majority of Manipur's Pangal Muslim community who make over eight percent of state's population and known to back the Congress.
Price rise is a major issue in the district. "During Ibobi Singh's rule, there used to be band and blockades, now it's gone, but the price rise is so much that we are very disturbed" said Sapam Arun Singh, a shop keeper in Thoubal town.
Manipur is voting in two phases - the first concluded on February 28 and the second is on March 5 - as the elections are held for the 60-member state assembly. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
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