CPI demands repolling in 16 Inner Manipur booths

SOBHAPATI SAMOM

IMPHAL, April 25 – The CPI has urged the Election Commission of India to recommend repolling in 16 polling booths in Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency which went to polls on April 22 last.

Dr Moirangthem Nara, CPI candidate in the Inner Manipur parliamentary seat conveyed this while addressing a hurriedly called press conference at Irabot Bhavan here on Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, demanding immediate repoll, a hurriedly called Left Coordination Committee meeting at Irabot Bhavan on Friday decided to hold a sit-in demonstration against the malpractice by Congress workers in the recently concluded polling in Inner Manipur parliamantary constituency, at Keishampat Junction on Saturday.

“National Secretary A B Bardhan also asked us to pursue the Chief Electoral Officer’s office here”, he told reporters. The CPI State Council has been demanding re-polling in 11 polling booths under Andro Assembly constituency, one in Khundrakpam AC both in Imphal East district, 3 in Thoubal AC under Thoubal district and one at Patsoi AC in Imphal West district.

“Free and Fair poll was not allowed in three polling booths in Thoubal Assembly seat due to malpractices by Manipur CM’s relative-led Congress workers”, Dr Nara alleged. Thoubal AC is Chief Minister O Ibobi’s home constituency.

Laishram Sotinkumar, Election Agent of CPI candidate has submitted separate complaints to the Chief Election Commissioner through CEO Manipur in this regard.

An official of State Election department claimed that there is no official report of re-polling in the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency in the State.

Dr Nara also alleged that one State employee N Brojan, husband of younger sister of Ibobi’s MLA wife Landhoni conducted proxy voting at three polling booths at Ningombam Girls’ LP school under Thoubal AC. Similarly, Congress workers committed widespread proxy voting in 11 polling booths in Andro AC too, he alleged.

The Communist leader also questioned the hidden agenda of the Congress-led Ministry for issuing a government order to replace Central Paramilitary forces personnel with the State forces like Manipur Rifles, Indian Reserve Battalion and Village Defence Force at polling booths in Thoubal just two days ahead of polling in Inner Parliamentary seat.

Manipur eye more medals

34th National games

A player in action during the 1st National Lawn Bowls Championship held in Guwahati in December 2008. File picture Imphal, April 18 : Manipur will be eyeing some additional medals for its kitty from two more disciplines — lawn bowls and squash — in the 34th National Games at Jharkhand scheduled to be held in June this year. Talking to The Telegraph, the secretary of the Manipur Olympic Association, L. Manglem Singh, said, “We have received verbal approval from the respective federations of lawn bowls and squash that we can field our players. Though the disciplines are not very popular in the state, we do have players in lawn bowls and squash and hope to obtain some medals in these events as well. We are anticipating a written approval at any moment,” he said. “Apart from these two events, Manipur will field players in 24 disciplines at the National Games in Jharkhand. The non-residential training has already started from April 5. The state contingent will have a strength of 617, including officials,” the MOA secretary said. The events in which Manipur have already confirmed participation include archery, athletics, aquatics, boxing, cycling, canoeing and kayaking, equestrian, fencing, football, gymnastics, handball, judo, kho-kho, netball, rowing, shooting, wushu, wrestling, weightlifting, sepak takraw, karate, rugby, taekwondo and triathlon. “We are very hopeful that we will perform well in the Jharkhand”, Singh said. Declining to comment on the expected medal haul, Manglem said, “We will try to do better than the last edition of the National Games held in Guwahati”. “We have also charted out our officials for the Games with N. Shyamnanda Singh, IPS officer as chef-de-mission while A. Jiten, N. Phoni and S. Joy Singh will be deputy chefs-de-mission. Apart from it, we have three team doctors, L. Birendra Singh, S. Arunkumar Singh and A.K. Joy Singh,” the MOA secretary further added.

General Elections 2009 - Manipur

Manipur

Poll Date: 16th April - 23rd April

Total Constituencies: 2

Manipur literally means “A jeweled land”. Located in the slopes of the south flowing Sub-Himalayan ranges and surrounded by 7 blue ranges of hills it is a part of Northern-eastern India. It is blessed with enchanting greenery and scenic beauty. It is also the birthplace of the game of Polo. After the independence of India, Manipur became a part of Indian union on October 15th, 1949.
          
Constituencies & their Candidates

Inner Manipur
W Nipamacha Singh	BJP
Dr Nara Singh	CPI
Outer Manipur
D. Loli Adanee	BJP
L B Sona	NCP

Campaign for Phase 1 in North-East ends

Guwahati, Apr 15 : Coinciding with the celebration of Rongali Bihu, Assam’s spring festival, campaigning for the first phase of polling — scheduled for April 16 for 10 Lok Sabha seats in six north-eastern States of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram — came to an end on Tuesday.
The campaigning for the remaining 11 seats of Assam which will go to the polls in the second phase on April 23 also slowed down as candidates and political party workers took a break to welcome the new year.

In Assam, 27,40,728 voters will decide the fate of 37 candidates for the three constituencies — Silchar, Karimganj (SC) and Autonomus District (ST) that are going to the polls in the first phase. Prominent among those in the fray include Union Minister for Heavy Industries Santosh Mohan Deb, Assam United Democratic Front president and perfume magnate Badruddin Ajmal, the former Union Minister Kabindra Purakaystaha (BJP) — all three vying for the Silchar seat — and the former Union Minister, Biren Singh Engti, who is seeking another term from the Autonomous District (ST) constituency.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in 3,056 polling stations of the three constituencies. Two choppers have been kept ready to tackle any eventuality in the two hill districts of North Cachar Hills District and Karbi Anglong in the wake of a spurt in extremist violence.

In Arunachal Pradesh, 7,32,505 electors will exercise their franchise in 2,057 polling stations to decide the fate of eight candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats — Arunachal West and Arunachal East.

A 30-member team of polling personnel was flown in advance on April 10 to Vijaynagar under Arunchal East constituency for conducting polling in three stations in the remote and inaccessible administrative circle along the India-Myanmar border, which has no road, no electricity and no phone and is reached by air.

Polling will also be held for the two Lok Sabha seats of Meghalaya — Shillong and Tura — in the first phase. Altogether 12,77,739 voters will decide the fate of 11 candidates. For the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland, there are three contestants. Altogether 13,21,878 voters will exercise their franchise in 1,790 stations while for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Mizoram, which too is going tZo the polls on April 16. A total of 62,93,84 electors will decide the fate of four contestants. Polling will also be held in the first phase for the Outer Manipur constituency, where 90,94,34 electors exercise their franchise.

BJP will cancel Setu Samudram project: Rajnath

New Delhi, Apr 14 : The BJP has said it will cancel the Setu Samudram Shipping Channel Project taken up by the Congress-led UPA at the Centre, if it is voted back to power.

Addressing an election meeting at Bhadrak in Orissa on Tuesday, BJP president Rajnath Singh said they would drop the project if party-led NDA returns to power.

"We are committed to protect the country’s heritage, including the Ram Setu," he said.The project had sparked a controversy following possible destruction of Ram Setu during laying of the channel.

Holding the Congress "responsible" for price rise of essential commodities, Singh said the poor had become poorer under the UPA rule.Attacking former ally BJD, the saffron leader said it had played the role of a "traitor" by unilaterally breaking the 11-year-old alliance.

"BJD will face the fate of JD(S) in Karnataka," he added.

"People betray us. We (BJP) never betray anyone," he said, adding the regional party would suffer defeat in the ensuing Lok Sabha and assembly polls for its "act of betrayal."

Desperation and frustration clear in Congress: BJP

The BJP has said "desperation and frustration" in the Congress ahead of the Lok Sabha polls was "clearly reflected" in its constant attack on party’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani.

"This is (statements of Congress leaders) a clear reflection of their desperation and frustration for failing to answer about their five years of misgovernance," BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said at a party briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday.

He was referring to the statements of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, raising questions about the leadership qualities of Advani.

Gender trial in male bastion

KHELEN THOKCHOM

Key candidate - L. Kshetrani Devi

She sits in a roadside tea stall near her house discussing her election strategy with anybody who walks in for a bit of refreshment and cares to lend a ear. Meet Loitongbam Kshetrani Devi, the lone woman candidate in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency of Manipur, who believes that campaigning should begin at home. Women candidates in the Outer Manipur constituency are common. Kim Gangte even won the Outer seat on a CPI ticket. But in the Inner constituency, women rarely join the fight. In fact, Kshetrani Devi is the third woman so far to be fielded from the Inner constituency. Contesting on a Rastriya Bahujan Congress Party ticket, Kshetrani Devi has numerous barriers to break before she can even begin counting her chances of a win. First, the Rastriya Bahujan Congress Party is only taking baby steps in Manipur — it debuted in the state on March 25 this year and Kshetrani Devi is its president. Second, Manipur is still to wake up to the “possibility” that women can be as able political leaders as men. Though Manipuri women lead movements against injustice and social evils like alcoholism and drug abuse, they rarely join politics. “They (women) are active in collective space like campaigns against social evils and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, but not so on an individual level because of the patriarchal society. If one wants to contest an election, she will have to come out of the family, which is not an easy task in Manipuri society. It is precisely because of this reason that very few come out to contest elections. And those who have dared, could not make much of an impact,” said M.C. Arun, a social scientist. Kshetrani Devi, 50, has been courageous enough to take the “patriarchal tradition” head on and see for herself how far she can overcome the hurdle. The only sister among three siblings, Kshetrani Devi hails from Bijoygovinda Akham Leikai in Imphal West. Daughter of L. Tomba Singh, a businessman, and Muktarei Devi, a Nata Sankirtana artiste for All India Radio, Kshetrani Devi has a master’s degree in mathematics from Meerut University. She joined the Manipur People’s Party, the oldest regional party in the state, in 1995. As her political career progressed, she moved to the Manipur State Congress Party, then to the Manipur National Conference and went on to become the secretary of Manipur unit of RJD. Though she will be contesting the Lok Sabha election for the first time, elections are not an entirely new ball game for her. She contested twice in the Imphal Municipal Council elections, in 1995 and 2000, but without success. So how did she graduate from councillor aspirant to a Lok Sabha candidate? “Recently, I was in Delhi for some official work (I run an NGO). While I was in Delhi, Rashtriya Bahujan Congress Party president Bharat Singh sent journalist Ved Prakash with the offer that I could be a candidate of the party. The party was looking for woman candidates in the Northeast. I thought it over and decided to go ahead. This is how I am here today,” Kshetrani Devi said. Her NGO, called Lairenjam Leikai Women’s Welfare Association, deals in weaving and knitting. With women’s empowerment, unemployment and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act as her pet issues, Kshetrani Devi wants to take one step at a time. She knows her shortcomings, but hopes women voters support her. “The main problem is women are not politically aware in this state. It is because of this reason that not many women candidates are emerging for elections. My joining the fray is part of the effort to create political awareness among women,” she said. But the voters are not impressed with her efforts yet. “She will be an also-ran candidate,” said one of the neighbours.

‘NPF promising the moon and stars’

Congress MLAs, K L Chishi and S I Jamir, along with Independent MLA Hollohon and Congress party workers at a rally held for the Lok Sabha election at Kuhuboto town on April 13. (Morung Photo)

Dimapur | April 14 : The Congress today brought up the inter-district boundary issue between Kohima and Dimapur in its Lok Sabha election rally at Kuhuboto town. Congress MLA and former Chief Minister of Nagaland, K L Chishi said that the NPF government is clearly discriminating some tribes among the Nagas. Displaying to the public a copy of the inter-district map containing the demarcated boundary between Kohima and Dimapur which was approved by the general administration branch of the home department, and sent to the NPF government in October, 2003, Chishi questioned why it had not been approved by the government till now. Pointing out that he had raised the same question during the assembly session this year, Chishi said that the Chief Minister had replied by saying the Zeliangs have not approved the map. However, Chishi claimed that the demarcation was approved by the Zeliang Baudi in 2003. The Congress MLA also attacked the NPF for being careless on losing the Nagaland-Assam border map which, he said, clearly demarcates western Sumi villages from neighbouring Assam, under which Niuland area also falls.
Congress brings up border issueChishi rubbished the NPF party’s commitment to establish a deputy commissioner’s headquarter in Niuland which, he claimed, was made by the NPF earlier. He questioned how that would be possible when Niuland was a part of Dimapur district, and condemned the act of promising such unattainable things to the public. “NPF is promising the moon and the stars,” Chishi said. He told the people to get a reality check and spelled out the government’s failure to pay salaries to its employees and misappropriation of central allocated funds for development. Chishi also commented on the EAC headquarters’ inauguration spree made by the DAN government. The MLA said that he was surprised to find recently that only a foundation stone has been laid at a new EAC headquarter under Kiphire district and that there are no officials or any infrastructure.
On the Congress MP candidate, Chishi pointed out that if Asungba Sangtam is elected to the parliament, “he will be visible,” he declared. Congress MLA, S I Jamir, who also attended the rally said that the amount of deficit the present government has incurred is likely to take the state into a “financial emergency”. Both the leaders urged people to exercise their voting rights wisely and assured the Congress would continue to work for the people of Nagaland.
Giving prime importance to the Naga political issue, senior politician and Independent MLA, Hollohon, at the rally also said that it is a Naga problem and should be discussed within the parameters of Nagaland. He said the government shouldn’t be run with tribal politics and it should be serious about the Naga issue. “Many lives have been lost in the quest for a solution and Nagas should stop playing with the Naga political issue,” Hollohon said. The rally was attended by the district unit workers, state level Congress workers, mahila unit, GBs and the public from in and around Kuhoboto town.