Political parties, the Congress in particular, are keeping their fingers crossed hoping that proscribed underground organisations will not again impose a ban on electioneering in Manipur. They are wary though the first round of voting is hardly 20 days away, scheduled for April 9.
During the last Assembly elections, the CorCom (Coordinating Committee), apex body of seven underground outfits (one of which was expelled later) imposed a ban on the Congress. Because of threat perceptions all 60 MLAs in the State have been provided armed security guards.Now, one underground organisation has already issued a statement opposing the national parties. Some others called for a boycott of the February 8 meeting of the BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Imphal, and imposed general strike in Manipur when Rahul Gandhi visited the State for the first time.
During the Assembly polls, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh and other senior Ministers abjured conventional electioneering, thanks to the CorCom ban on the party taking up any election-related activity. However, the ruling Congress bagged 42 seats in the 60-member House. No party had secured such a huge number of seats in Manipur.
Now, Congress leaders, preferring anonymity, told The Hindu that the party would was confident of winning both Lok Sabha seats in the State.
PCC president and Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei has been saying a conglomeration of parties which were rooted out of the State by the people could not pose any threat to the ruling party.
