Manipur Election 2022: 76.62% voter turnout logged in second phase amid reports of violence

The second phase of polling is considered a litmus test for the former Chief Minister and Congress leader Ibobi Singh, former deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, incumbent ministers Letpao Haokip (sports), Losii Dikho (public health engineering), Awangbow Newmai (forest) from Thoubal, Nungba, Tengnoupal, Mao and Tamei constituencies, respectively.

Voting for the second phase is underway with 92 candidates in 22 constituencies in the fray with 76.62 per cent voter turnout. The stakes for the Congress are higher than arch-rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the second and final phase of polling for 22 Assembly seats in Manipur on March 5. The second phase has 22 constituencies going to polls, including 11 out of the 19 reserved seats for scheduled tribes.

Key candidates & constituencies in fray: As many as 92 candidates, including two women, are in the fray for the second phase to be held across 22 constituencies. The two women candidates are CPI’s Y Romita from Kakching constituency and SS Olish of BJP from Chandel constituency.

The second phase of polling is considered a litmus test for the former Chief Minister and Congress leader Ibobi Singh, former deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, incumbent ministers Letpao Haokip (sports), Losii Dikho (public health engineering), Awangbow Newmai (forest) from Thoubal, Nungba, Tengnoupal, Mao and Tamei constituencies, respectively.

Of the total candidates, 22 are of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), 18 of INC, 10 each of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Naga People’s Front (NPF), 11 of National People’s Party (NPP), two each of Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), three of Republican Party of India-Athawale (RPI-A), one each of Rashtriya Janhit Sangharsh Party (RJSP) and CPI, and 12 independent candidates.

As many as 8,47,400 electors — 4,18,401 males, 4,28,968 females, and 31 transgender people — are expected to exercise their franchise.