CPI, MPP stir intensifies, Congress hits back
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 26 2009: Intensifying their agitations demanding to conduct repolling at the polling stations where mass rigging had been allegedly done in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, Left parties and MPP staged separate demonstrations in different locations today.

CPI, CPI(M), RSP, AIFB and JD(U) under the banner of Left Democratic and Secular Co-ordinating Committee staged sit-in-protest at Yairipok Bazar of Thoubal district.

The protest demanded to conduct repolling in 16 polling stations of Thoubal and Andro A/Cs.

Effigies of Congress leaders being burnt to demand repoll in some polling stations

While addressing the meeting, organised as a part of the sit-in-protest, CPI State Secretary Langol Iboyaima said that the ongoing agitation is nothing to do with the winning or losing of their party candidate but to regain the forfeited democratic rights of 20,000 voters of 16 polling stations of Thoubal and Andro A/Cs.

Deploying of VDFs instead of armed security personnel in some hypersensitive polling stations of Andro A/C made more suspicious to the intention of the State Government, Iboyaima added.

CPI (M) State Secretary Sarat Salam while speaking in the meeting expressed reservations for not upholding the democratic rights of Andro A/C by deploying armed security personnel in the hypersensitive polling stations of the Assembly segment.

Sarat further alleged that Congress planned such tactics as the party knew that it would not possible to win the election with their money power.

Meanwhile, CPI candidate Dr M Nara has flown to New Delhi today to lodge a complaint to the Election Commission of India regarding the matter.

He was accompanied by a CPI (M) leader, party sources said.

Effigies of State Chief Electoral Officer and Returning Officer were set ablaze by MPP workers during an agitation staged at their office at Pologround.

The demonstration which was taken part by party leaders and in case befitting actions are not initiated against the commandos involved in the killing.

Saying that the commander and commando personnel involved in the killing of Kiranjit, currently attached to Thoubal police station are known to the people, Tomba asked family members of the commandos to hand over the accused commandos to the JAC within the current month.

Educational institutions will be exempted from any agitation that may launched by the JAC against the killing together with the people of Manipur, Tomba added.

The party Workers demanded repolling for the polling stations of Patsoi, Khundrakpam, Thoubal and Andro A/Cs where mass rigging had been allegedly done.

Senior MPP leader and MLA O Joy said that party president, Dr L Chandramani who had flown to the National capital yesterday would meet Election Commissioner Navin Chawla tomorrow.

Meanwhile, clarifying that Congress party workers were not involved in any form of rigging, a press release issued by MPCCI Media Chairman Seram Mangi said that Election Commission of India would take its own course of action regarding the complaints of Left parties and MPP.

Mangi further said that blowing the issue out of proportion by staging agitation was uncalled for.

The Left parties and MPP resort to such clamour as the parties anticipate their defeat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, Mangi added.