Manipur Assembly Election 2022 Updates

Access detailed historical insights and expert analysis on Manipur Assembly elections here.

March 2022

• 05 Mar: The second phase of polling began today for 22 Assembly seats. 78.5% of the registered voters cast their vote in the second phase.

February 2022

• 28 Feb: The first phase of polling concluded today for 38 Assembly seats. The total voter turnout recorded was 78.03%.
• 27 Feb: In an unprecedented move, the Congress Party expelled Salam Joy Singh, its candidate from the Wangoi constituency, for allegedly supporting the Opposition BJP candidate Oinam Lukhoi Singh. Salam Singh was expelled just hours before the start of the first phase of voting.
• 22 Feb: Chief Minister N Biren Singh said Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) shops will be permitted in the dry state of Manipur if the BJP returned to power.
• 22 Feb: A total of 173 candidates filed their nominations for contesting the 38 Assembly seats in the first phase of elections scheduled on February 28. As per an analysis by ADR, 16% of the candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits. Less than 9% of the candidates are women. In one of the highest educational levels of candidates across all of the 5 poll-bound states, 35% of Manipur’s candidates are Graduates while 42% hold professional and post-graduate degrees.

• 17 Feb: BJP president JP Nadda released the party manifesto for Manipur. The promises in the manifesto include a free scooty to all meritorious college-going girls, ₹25,000 to girls from economically weaker sections (EWS), two free LPG cylinders per year to the beneficiaries of the PM Ujjwala scheme,  increasing the monthly pension for senior citizens from ₹200 to ₹1,000, laptops to all meritorious students who pass class 12, increasing the financial assistance of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi from ₹6,000 to ₹8,000 per annum, setup of a Skill Development University to train youths and an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) institute within Manipur, setup of a ₹100 crore 'Start-Up Manipur Fund' to provide zero-interest loans of up to ₹25 lakh to entrepreneurs, and the development of a peripheral rail network along the foothills to boost tourism.
• 14 Feb: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh campaigned for the BJP while in Manipur. He did not make any commitments on the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act or AFSPA unlike the claims of all Opposition parties to repeal the Act once voted to power. Instead, he urged the militant groups to have a dialogue in the interest of Manipur's development. "The terror outfits must come forward to talk to the government. Violence has to be stopped permanently to undertake the developmental projects and welfare schemes for the benefit of the people," he said.
• 10 Feb: The Election Commission accepted the request by several tribal groups and political parties to reschedule the poll dates in Manipur. The new voting dates for the two-phase Manipur assembly elections are February 28 and March 5, changed from February 27 and March 3 earlier. The request for the change of date was made to allow Christians, which comprise 41% of Manipur's population, to attend the Sunday church services which clashed with the earlier poll dates.
• 08 Feb: The National People's Party (NPP) released a statement alleging intimidation and abuse of their candidates and workers by the militant outfits in Manipur. The party requested security cover for its candidates and demanded that arms be seized from all the militant groups. The statement also named the militant outfits (KNF-MC, KNF-Z, UKLF, KNA, and HPC(D)) and pointed out that they were found actively campaigning for opposition parties like the BJP and NPF.
• 04 Feb: The Manipur Congress released its party manifesto for the upcoming elections. The 37-point manifesto, which contains its goals for the next five years, includes the creation of 50,000 jobs each year, reservation of one-third of government jobs for women, repeal of controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, protection of linguistic and religious minorities, free critical medical treatment for children, ensuring state self-sufficiency in rice production, and attracting half a million tourists per year to Manipur. AICC election observer for Manipur Jairam Ramesh said, “We’re confident that the last 5 years of darkness in Manipur will be lifted and Manipur’s future will be once again guided by the Indian National Congress. The manifesto is for the survival and revival of Manipur."
• 03 Feb: Congress candidates for the upcoming assembly election visited major religious places in the state and took a "loyalty oath". The pledge of allegiance was led by former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh along with the party's state unit in-charge Bhakta Charan Das. The candidates pledged that they will not defect to other political parties after getting elected and will abide by the rules and regulations of the Congress party. The candidates visited the Kangla Fort, a church, a temple, and a mosque for the oath. "The Congress party believes in the secular fabric of the country, which is why the party decided to take the pledge in all the major religious places of different communities in the state," said Mr. Singh while interacting with the media.

• 03 Feb: RK Somendro Singh (Kaiku), a popular movie star, along with 40 of his co-stars and colleagues from the film community joined the BJP at a party joining programme attended by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, the party's Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra, state BJP President A. Sharda Devi, and other party members.

January 2022

• 31 Jan: The Election Commission extended the ban on roadshows, pad-yatras, cycle/bike/vehicle rallies, and processions till February 11. However, it has given some relaxation in the number of people allowed at meetings and door-to-door campaigns. From the earlier limit of 500, a maximum of 1,000 people will now be permitted for physical public meetings in designated open spaces. Instead of 10 persons, now 20 persons, excluding security personnel, will be allowed for door-to-door campaigns.
• 30 Jan: Despite signing a 'bond of cooperation' even if they were denied a party ticket, 4 BJP leaders who were denied tickets for next month's elections joined Janata Dal (United). BJP leaders Th Arunkumar of the Wangkhei assembly constituency, Nganbam Robert of the Singjamei constituency, Kh Suresh from the Uripok constituency, and supercop-turned-politician Th Brinda of the Yaiskul constituency were the leaders who quit BJP and joined the JD(U).

• 30 Jan: BJP supporters burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and shouted slogans after the party named candidates for next month's elections. Party offices were ransacked in various parts of the state and protesters gathered in several areas with placards. Most of the protestors were supporters of disgruntled leaders who were not given tickets to accommodate at least 10 former Congress leaders who joined the BJP.
• 27 Jan: Following a similar attempt in Assam, Congress has created a grand alliance with six political parties including the Left. The alliance, the name of which will soon be announced, includes Congress, CPI, CPM, RSP, Forward Block, and the Janata Dal (Secular) will have a Common Minimum Programme.
• 22 Jan: The Election Commission announced that members of the militant groups in Manipur that signed ceasefire agreements with the government would be allowed to vote in the upcoming assembly elections through postal ballot as they cannot move out of the said designated camps.
• 22 Jan: The Election Commission extended the ban on roadshows and rallies till January 31 but with certain relaxations for the first two phases of voting due on February 10 and 14. It also raised the limit of 5 people for door-to-door campaigning to 10, excluding security personnel and video vans for publicity permitted at certain open spaces with COVID-19 restrictions.
• 21 Jan: Addressing the people of the poll-bound state on its statehood day Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that impediments to Manipur's progress have been removed by his government. "Manipur stands at a crucial juncture after 50 years of statehood. Manipur has started the journey towards fast development. Obstacles that existed have been removed. We don't have to look back from here. When our country completes 100 years of Independence, it will also be 75 years of Manipur's statehood. This is also 'amrit kaal' (golden era) for Manipur's development. Forces that halted its progress should not be allowed to allowed to rear their heads. We should remember this. With the double engine of development, Manipur has to be developed at a fast pace," he said.
• 20 Jan: The lone Trinamool Congress MLA Tongbram Robindro Singh joined the ruling BJP in Manipur ahead of the assembly elections. Ms. Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi, BJP's Manipur unit president said the move reflects the "growing positive attitude towards the progress" of Manipur under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N Biren Singh. 
• 19 Jan: The All Manipur Christian Organisation (AMCO) urged the Election Commission to reschedule the first phase of assembly polls that is to be held on February 27 as it's a Sunday - a prayer day for the Christian community. "Sunday is a sacred day, the Lord's Day, a day set aside to worship and revere God. But fixing a polling date on Sunday has led the Christian community in Manipur to question if the Government is deliberately attempting to desacralize its religious significance," the statement said. Christians comprise about 41 percent of Manipur's three million people.
• 18 Jan: The Congress party today sacked its senior leader Khumukcham Joykisan Singh and suspended him for anti-party activities. Mr. Singh is the MLA from Thangmeiband in West Imphal and was with the BJP before joining the Congress.
• 12 Jan: In the second incident of pre-poll violence in Manipur, two powerful bombs, including an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated remotely, went off in front of the residences of two Congress leaders in two districts damaging the properties, police said. No one was injured in the blasts that occurred in Imphal West and Imphal East districts. According to the police, the IED exploded in front of the residence of Congress leader Kh Ratankumar at Kangla Sangomshang in Imphal East district. The second blast, which took place near the residence of former MLA Salam Joy Singh at Samurou in Imphal West district, damaged the gate and the front portion of the Congress leader's residence. Both Mr. Ratankumar and Mr. Singh are Congress ticket aspirants from the Khurai and Wangoi assembly constituencies respectively.
• 10 Jan: In the fresh incident of pre-poll violence after the dates for Assembly elections were announced, a cop and another man were shot at by unidentified attackers. The gunmen fired at policemen Abujam Tomba and Abujam John in the Wangoi town of the Imphal West district. The attackers came in a car and shot at the two men when they standing in a street a little after midnight, according to locals. John died on the way to the hospital and Tomba died of injuries at a hospital in the capital city of Imphal on Monday.
• 10 Jan: A day after joining the BJP, MLA Chaltonlien Amo resigned as a member of the Manipur state assembly. "Chaltonlien Amo has resigned from the membership of the Manipur Legislative Assembly," its secretary K Meghajit Singh said. Mr. Amo, who was elected from the Tipaimukh constituency, has been suspended from Congress after he joined the BJP.

I welcome Shri Chaltonlien Amo Tipaimukh to the Bhajpa Parivar.

The BJP is going from strength to strength in Manipur due to people’s belief in the leadership of PM Shri @NarendraModi ji and the great work being done by Chief Minister Shri @NBirenSingh ji in the state. pic.twitter.com/H3YX8lv94A

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) January 9, 2022

• 09 Jan: Congress MLA and tribal leader Chaltonlien Amo of Tipaimukh Assembly constituency joined the ruling BJP today. Mr Amo is the 15th MLA to quit the party after the 2017 assembly polls in Manipur.
• 08 Jan: The Election Commission announced the dates for Assembly elections in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. The five states will vote over seven phases starting February 10, with the counting of votes scheduled for March 10. Manipur will vote in two phases on February 27 and March 3.
• 08 Jan: In compliance with the Supreme Court's directives, Sushil Chandra, the Chief Election Commissioner, mandated all political parties to compulsorily explain the reasons behind the selection of candidates with a criminal record and publish the criminal records of the candidates on the EC website. He also said that "winnability" as reason alone will not suffice and that the citizens had the right to know their candidates.
• 03 Jan: The All India Bar Association (AIBA) sent a representation to the Election Commission of India (ECI) requesting it to defer the upcoming elections in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand due to the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Senior advocate Dr. Adish C Aggarwala, Chairman of AIBA stated that a large number of people gather in election rallies without adhering to the Covid protocols. The representation stated that if the elections in these States are not postponed till Omicron Covid-19 is over, it would lead to the deaths of lakhs of people in India despite the best efforts of the Central and State Governments, similar to what happened during the second wave of Covid-19.

December 2021

• 29 Dec: National People's Party (NPP) leader and Manipur sports minister Letpao Haokip joined the BJP in a programme in New Delhi. The move is being seen as a major setback for the NPP, which is an ally of the BJP. The BJP hopes that Mr. Haokip's popularity as an international football player would attract youngsters to the party.
• 28 Dec: Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People's Party (NPP) chief Conrad K Sangma said the demand to withdraw the controversial law Armed Force (Special) Power Act, or AFSPA, would be the main agenda of their party in the upcoming Manipur assembly election.

Under Congress, the state was known for 3 I's

Instability
Insurgency
Inequality

Under the BJP, the 3 I's have changed.

Innovation
Infrastructure
Integration pic.twitter.com/03WGeupzL7

— Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) December 24, 2021

• 24 Dec: In his fourth visit to Uttarakhand in the last 3 months, BJP President JP Nadda kickstarted the BJP's campaign for the upcoming Manipur assembly elections. He claimed that his party's government in the state has initiated "innovation, infrastructure and integration" by removing the erstwhile Congress government's "instability, insurgency and inequality". "Manipur government headed by Chief Minister N Biren Singh has established peace. Earlier, during the Congress regime, blockade continued for months after months, year after year, now no blockade and no fear among the people. Around 1,039 militants surrendered and as part of the crusade against drugs, 11,600 acres of land was made free from the cultivation of various drugs," he said.
• 11 Dec: The Congress promised to push for "the immediate and complete removal of AFSPA" from Manipur if it is voted to power in the Assembly polls early next year. Until then, it urged the ruling BJP and Chief Minister N Biren Singh to press Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the centre for the law's immediate removal. The Congress also reminded the BJP that AFSPA had been repealed from seven Assembly constituencies (including state capital Imphal) when it was in power.