PM Modi arrives in Imphal amid shutdown calls by Manipuri militant outfits

IMPHAL: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Imphal to campaign for the assembly election amidst a total shutdown of the state called by four major militant outfits in protest.

Modi's address at

Langjing Achouba

ground in Imphal West may have the potential to be a game changer for a rising BJP in the state, but not unless he
speaks what voters, political rivals, including Congress, as well his own party want to hear-- on the peace deal being worked out with NSCN-IM.

Manipuris, cutting across party affiliation, do not want to part with even an inch of the state's land to the 'Greater Nagaland' demanded by Noon-IM.

The Centre is yet to tell the people about the framework agreement signed with Neon-IM in 2015 contains. Home minister Rajnath Singh last week said here that the framework agreement does not contain Manipur's name, but people do not want to hear what is not there in the agreement but what it contains.

State BJP president Bhabananda Singh told TOI that a clarification on this burning issue by the PM would be good.

Earlier, BJP had planned Modi’s rally inside the historic Kangla Fort here, but the party changed the venue after Irom Sharmila Chanu’s newly floated party, People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), lodged a complaint with the Election Commission arguing that Kangla is a sacred place where many religious sites are located. The EC prohibits any site of religious significance from being an election rally site.