Manipur Elections 2017: Chief Minister Ibobi Singh bifurcated seven of the state's nine districts.
Manipur's 100-day roadblock and its trigger -- the creation of seven new districts - are expected to be the key deciding factors when the state goes to polls on March 4. The two issues have polarised voters as never before, setting plains against hills and tribe against tribe. And it might help the ruling Congress, say locals.
Last December, Congress Chief Minister Ibobi Singh bifurcated seven of the state's nine districts - mostly hills where the Nagas are a majority. On November 1, the top group of Manipur's Naga tribes, the United Naga Council, blocked the supply lines of the state, accusing the Congress government of an attempt to compromise their territorial and cultural integrity.
The bifurcation, however, made another hill tribe happy - the Kukis, who wanted it as part of their demand for better governance. They also admit that it will help the ruling Congress.
"The Congress will get the benefit from the creation of the seven districts," said Lamcha Chongloi, General Secretary, Kuki Students Organisation (Sadar Hills).
The Kukis, he said, wanted to change how the state functions by forming another political party. But the prolonged economic blockade has forced tribals to think twice about the BJP. "They (the BJP) have links with the United Naga Council and the NPF, so we think most people will vote for Congress," he added.
Traditionally the tribals vote for political parties seen close to Centre. Now the Congress - which has called the bifurcation an administrative decision - is hoping that it would be a game changer.
"We made seven new districts for administrative ease but the BJP-backed UNC is creating problems by its blockade and so we urged Centre to ban the UNC," state Congress spokesperson Joy Kishan Singh told NDTV. The Centre is yet to ban the UNC as the Chief Minister demanded.
The Nagas - who are a majority across 20 of Manipur's 60 assembly seats -- say they have seen through the Congress strategy.
"At stake is the agenda of the Congress to sabotage and put roadblocks in the Naga movement and we are not surprised by it," said Seth Satsang, the President of All Naga Students' Association of Manipur.
"They (the Congress) want to derive political mileage out of this decision. They want the people to suffer so they can say the Nagas are disturbing in development of the state," the chief of state BJP unit Kh. Bhvananda Singh.