Even as the unrest and animosity refuse to fade away, Manipur is going to vote on Friday in the first phase. Having considered all aspects of the Manipur turmoil, voting for the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency had been spread across two phases and it is quite unprecedented. In the past, if there were two phases it was for different polling dates for the two parliamentary constituencies.
Assembly segments going for polls in 1st phase are 31 assembly constituencies included in Inner Manipur along with the seven valley constituencies of Wangkhem, Heirok, Wangjing Tentha, Khangabok, Wabgai, Kakching, Hiyanglam and Sugnu, besides Chandel, Saikul, Kangpokpi, Saitu, Henglep, Churachandpur, Saikot and Singhat included in Outer Manipur constituency.
In short, the Election Commission of India (ECI) wants to conduct elections in the volatile areas in the first phase. The communal clashes and violence are mostly in the fringe areas of the valley bordering Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts followed by Thoubal and that is where most of the central forces are deployed since the outbreak of the violence.
Kangpokpi is one district which almost encircles the valley districts of Imphal East, Imphal West and Bishnupur and that is where most of the attacks and retaliations are happening till date.
Churachandpur district is another where communal fervour is running very high, particularly in Churachandpur Hqs and areas bordering Bishnupur district. The hill areas bordering Thoubal district is also another concern. As we said, the conduct of free and fair elections needs a conducive atmosphere. That favourable atmosphere is simply not there.
Just after the election dates were announced by the Election Commission, a temporary lull in violence happened. Violence or clashes happens whenever the fringe villages of the valley are attacked from the bunkers in the nearby hill ridges despite claims of attacks generating from the valley. As everyone knows, an imaginary buffer zone has been created all around the valley and village volunteers or armed groups including even state forces are stopped by central forces from crossing the imaginary line.
So, whenever the attacks from the hills stop for some reason or the other, a lull in clashes always follows. The reason for stopping the attacks either could be because of some kind of assurances from the Centre or simply dumbfounded by the declaration of elections without a viable answer to their demands. The fact that there was chaos on how to react to the announcement was evident in some of their outfits and representatives willing to participate by nominating Kuki-Zo candidate for the Outer Manipur constituency while the common folks pitted for boycotting the elections. An intending Kuki candidate was stopped from filing his nomination.
On the other hand, the reaction was mixed in the valley. Certain sections expressed their objections to holding of parliamentary elections till peace and normalcy returns in the state. Except for the political parties, both ruling and opposition, many CSOs and common folk are having reservations on elections till the conflict is resolved. Yet, many are ready to exercise their vote in the hope of electing someone who would be able to present Manipur’s case in the Indian Parliament and to the outside world.
Violence once again erupted with an incident in Tengnoupal district adjoining Heirok assembly constituency in Thoubal district injuring two village volunteers from the valley. It was just before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Imphal and the attacks spread to Kangpokpi district resulting in the deaths of two Kuki militants above Itham Moirangpurel in Imphal East district and it had a cascading effect on fringe villages of Imphal West.
Now, Kukis particularly in Kangpokpi district are set to boycott the elections. Meanwhile, a rumour is being spread in the valley that Kukis have decided to vote for the BJP supported NPF candidate in the Outer constituency while on the other hand, a ‘fake’ directive of Kuki leaders to vote for the Congress candidate is circulating in the media, vehemently denied by Kuki leaders including MLAs. But it is rather perplexing whether the Kukis are going to vote for BJP supported candidates or not? What matters is that every citizen votes to make his choice.
