CM Ibobi, Irom go toe to toe in crucial second leg

IMPHAL: The trouble-torn Naga-dominated hill districts and CM Okram Ibobi Singh's Thoubal-Kakching belt in the valley are voting in the second and final phase of the Manipur assembly elections on Wednesday. The 22 constituencies have witnessed the deployment of 265 companies of central armed police forces on poll duty.
Even as security was tightened, Naga-dominated Phungyar constituency witnessed two bomb blasts on Tuesday in which one Assam Rifles jawan was injured.There have been reports of suspected Naga and Kuki rebels intimidating voters and of unknown miscreants snatching photo voters' slips from some booth-level officers (BLO) in Chandel district, which borders Myanmar.
The first phase on March 4 saw polling in 38 seats with a high turnout of 86.5%. In all, over 19 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in this phase of polling. Women voters outnumber the men in this phase too. The districts voting on Wednesday are Jiribam, Thoubal, Kakching, Chan del, Tengnoupal, Ukhrul, Kamjong, Senapati, Noney and Tamenglong.
Despite the United Naga Council (UNC)-sponsored economic blockade, a large turnout is expected in this phase as well. Protests against the creation of seven new districts by the Ibobi government means Congress candidates had a tough time campaigning in the hills. The party nonetheless is hopeful of doing well in the 10 Naga-dominated seats. BJP, too, is eyeing a good performance in these seats with the party's top central leaders joining the hills' campaign.
For Ibobi, who ruled Manipur for the last 15 years, the 10 seats in Thoubal-Kakching belt are crucial for success. This belt has always been loyal to Congress. He has led Congress to three consecutive victories and is now aiming for a fourth term. Rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu of the Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) is contesting the election against the CM in his Thoubal seat.
Other women candidates in the fray include Najima Bibi (PRJA), SS Olish (BJP) and Pukhrambam Ibechaobi (MNDF).