Manipur Elections: Polling in Manipur will be held in two phases- February 27 and March 3.
The main opposition party in Manipur- Congress- which is part of the Manipur Progressive Secular Alliance (MPSA) announced a common agenda yesterday. Six parties- Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Forward Bloc, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Janata Dal (Secular) which together form the MPSA- released the manifesto oriented towards fortifying the territorial integrity of the north-eastern states.
The promise is pertinent as the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has been demanding for integration of the Naga-dominated areas of Manipur and its neighbouring states- Assam and Arunachal Pradesh- though the demand has been strongly opposed by them.
Additionally, the 18- point agenda included unemployment allowances to youth, full implementation of Article 371 (c) of Indian Constitution (special provision with respect to the development of the mountainous areas of Manipur), universal access to safe drinking water, uninterrupted power supply, fight against drug menace.
Announcing the common agenda, Congress' Parliamentary Committee Chairman and Election Observer for Manipur Jairam Ramesh, accompanied by former three-term Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh said if the MPSA wins the assembly elections, the common agenda would be implemented in letter and spirit, ensuring an accountable, responsible, responsive and transparent government.
The democratic aspirations of all regions of the state will be fulfilled, the senior Congress leader asserted.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh also recently said that the BJP-led state government would ensure that special provisions under Article 371 (C) for hill areas would not be affected under any circumstances.
The Congress, which contested the 2017 assembly elections in the state alone, has adopted a flexible approach as it aims to deny the ruling BJP a second straight shot at power in Manipur, thus making a strong comeback in the poll-bound state.
Polling in Manipur will be held in two phases- February 27 and March 3 and the votes will be counted on March 10.