The second phase of the Manipur elections 2022 scheduled on March 5 will decide the fate of 92 candidates of 22 constituencies under six electoral districts. Of the 92 candidates, Y Romita of CPI (Kakching AC) and SS Olish of BJP (Chandel AC) are the only female candidates. As many as 8,47,400 electors which includes 4,18,401 males, 4,28,968 females and 31 transgender are eligible for voting in the second phase.
A total of 3,24,561 voters were recorded in Thoubal district; 29,426 in Jiribam; 95,293 in Chandel; 1,30,545 in Ukhrul; 1,60,061 in Senapati and 1,07,515 in Tamenglong. Of the 92 candidates, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispatched 22 candidates, another 18 from the Indian National Congress (INC), 10 each from the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and the Naga People's Front (NPF), 11 from the National People's Party (NPP), two each from the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), three from the Republican Party of India-Athawale (RPI-A), one each from the Rashtriya Janhit Sangharsh Party (RJSP) and CPI and 12 will be fighting as independent candidates. The Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas (LJP-R), Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) and Kuki National Assembly (KNA) did not dispatch any of their candidates in the second phase like the NPF and RJSP did in the first phase.
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There will be a total of 1,247 polling stations, including six auxiliary polling stations across the six electoral districts in the second phase. Of the six auxiliary polling stations, four are in Thoubal and another two in Churachandpur. Thoubal which has the highest number of constituencies (10 ACs) will have 395 polling stations, Jribam which has only one ACs will have 40 polling stations, Chandel which have two ACs will have 154 polling stations, Ukhrul, Senapati and Tamenglong which have three ACs each will have 219, 228 and 211 polling stations respectively. Alongside the second phase, repoll in one polling station each in Khundrakpam and Saitu Assembly constituencies, another three in Thanlon AC, five in Henglep AC and two polling stations in Singhat AC.
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Elections in the Kuki belt has been completed in the first phase of the elections with SoO groups openly coming out in support of BJP candidates which led to Congress election in charge Jairam Ramesh alleging that the Union Home Ministry transferred a huge amount of money for disbursal to the Kuki militant groups. They have complained to ECI to look into the alleged transfer of money. The constituencies which had gone to polls in the first phase are mostly in Kuki-Chin-Mizo areas, where groups under SoO have openly vouched for BJP candidates.
BJP can deny all the way about having a nexus with the Kuki militants, but no one believes it. Of course, it is also putting up weak candidates in NPF controlled constituencies. In the second phase, the fight is between BJP and Congress in Thoubal district where former CM Okram Ibobi’s writ runs large and with 10 constituencies up for grabs all eyes are in the district. On the other hand, it is mostly in Naga areas that elections are going to be held where the proposed ADC bill is being hyped to win over votes. However, it seems all is not well with the Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) with most of its candidates not receiving the blessings of ‘Uncle Muivah’ in the run-up to the elections. So, some are speculating that NPF may not even have the advantage of playing kingmaker this time.
