Manipur Elections 2017: Amit Shah during a door-to-door campaign in a constituency of Imphal
Highlights
- BJP President Amit Shah went to people's doorsteps seeking votes
- Mr Shah alleged Congress is "misguiding" people on Naga peace deal issue
- Manipur votes in two rounds on March 4 and March 8
Voters in Manipur's Imphal were surprised today to find BJP president Amit Shah at their doorsteps seeking votes for his party's candidates. He carried with him copies of his party's vision document to distribute and had by his side union minister Prakash Javedakar, who is the central BJP leader in charge of Manipur.
They walked down the narrow by-lanes of several key constituencies, going from door to door urging people to vote for a change in power in Manipur, where the Congress' Ibobi Singh has been chief minister for the last 15 years. Manipur will vote in two rounds on March 4 and 8.
Mr Shah first campaigned in the prestigious Wangkhei constituency where former Congress minister turned BJP heavyweight Erabot Singh is contesting against Chief minister Ibobi Singh's nephew Okram Henry.
BJP sources said the party also plans door to door campaigns by central BJP leaders in Thoubal district, which has 10 seats and is a stronghold of Ibobi Singh and his family.
"The Manipur chief minister is known as Mr 10 percent," Amit Shah later said at a public rally. "10 percent in not bad, even some BJP Chief Ministers are called Mr 10 percent for growth at 10 percent, but Ibobi Singh is known as that for taking 10 percent commission from every work," the BJP chief alleged.
Ibobi Singh of the Congress has been chief minister of Manipur for the last 15 years. The BJP hopes to change that in these assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party's most prominent face, has so far carried out one rally in the state and Mr Shah has led three rallies.
The BJP chief also alleged that the ruling Congress is "misguiding" the people of Manipur on the issue of the Naga peace deal. The Congress has claimed that the
BJP is hand in gloves with NSCN(IM) and United Naga Council or UNC and they are the architect of the economic blockade, which has been on for nearly four months.
Votes will be counted in Manipur and four other states, including Uttar Pradesh on March 11.