Manipur polls: Heavyweights in the fray

Besides eight political parties recognised by the Election Commission of India including Congress, NCP, BJP, JD(U), Trinamool Congress and others, other smaller parties and independents would contest the forthcoming polls in Manipur to be held on January 28. Around 2,357 polling stations have been put up in the state and except 160 of them the rest has been declared hyper-sensitive and sensitive. Manipur has a 60-member Assembly. Of the 350 companies (comprising approximately 3,500 personnel) of security personnel, including 280 companies of para military forces, are to be deployed in the insurgency-hit state.

Okram Ibobi Singh, the Chief Minister of Manipur, will be contesting the elections from his continuency Thoubal. He is Congress' stalwart in the state and has been in power since 2002.

Manipur People's Party (MPP) president Dr Nimaichand Luwang will be fighting the polls from Wangkhem constituency. He, during his poll campaign, has come down heavily on the Congress government, even threatening to take it to court.

Radhabinod Koijam is the president of the Nationalist Congress Party in Manipur and he will fight the elections from Thangmeiband constituency.

The strong Congress party will also field big names in Manipur like Khwairakpam Devendro Singh and Waikhom Shyama from Sekmai and Langthabal constituencies respectively.

Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress will also like to make its presence felt in Manipur, and its biggest hope would be Chunghokai Doungel who would be contesting from Saikul.

But the battle of Manipur is being largely seen as a three-cornered contest between Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, BJP's O Indira Oinam and Trinamool Congress's A K Manglemjao Singh in Thoubal. Recently, actress and BJP member Hema Malini campaigned for Oinam Indira, a school teacher, in Manipur where she urged the people to 'throw the corrupt Congress government out of power.'