Manipur Polls 2017: The excitement among women voters was seen across the Imphal valley.
The old proverb, 'Morning shows the day', was proved correct by women voters and youngsters who started queuing up in front of polling booths at dawn on Saturday. By 5 pm, Manipur registered an all-time turnout of over 84 per cent in the first phase of the assembly election. The excitement among young voters was seen across the Imphal valley.
"We are looking at the personality of the candidate. We want a person who works sincerely and honestly," said a first time voter, Mamta Laishram, to NDTV.
"I am very glad to have cast my vote for first time. I also got a reward of Rs 50 from the Election Commission," said another first time voter from the valley Romen Meitei.
Scenes of enthusiasm were seen across the 1643 polling booths in 38 constituencies which polled in the assembly election on Saturday. Even in the hilly areas of Churachandpur and the newly-created Kangpokpi districts, the youth voted without any fear.
"The polling stated on time, arrangement were good," said M Kipgen, a female voter from Kangpokpi, one of the seven newly created districts that triggered an economic blockade in the state, which was crossed the 100-day mark.
"Everyone got chance to vote. It was free and fair" she added.
Activist-turned-politician Irom Sharmila, too, cast her vote in Imphal's Khurai after 20 years. She is contesting the election from the Thoubal constituency. Congress' Okram Ibobi Singh has been the state's chief minister for the last 15 years. The BJP intends to change that and the party's most prominent face, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has carried out one rally in Imphal.
The remaining 22 constituencies of Manipur's 60-member legislative assembly will be up for grabs in the second phase on 8th March.