- NET Web Desk
The Congress leader and All India Congress Committee (AICC) observer – Jairam Ramesh on Thursday castigated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and alleged the ruling party of funding banned militant outfits functioning under the SoO (Suspension of Operations) in Manipur.
According to Ramesh, the BJP-led government in Manipur paid Rs 15.70 crores on February 1, 2022, and another Rs 92.7 lakhs on March 1, 2022 to banned militant groups under the SoO to “ensure” that the first phase of assembly elections in two districts on February 28 were “not free, fair, or peaceful.”
He claims that an additional amount of Rs 92,65,950 was released on March 1 in order to sway the results of the second round of the elections on March 5.
Ramesh told reporters that the objective of the instalment given on February 1 was to influence voting in Churachandpur and Kangpokpi districts, where elections were held on February 28.
Its worthy to note that voting for the first phase of assembly elections began today at 38 Assembly constituencies of Manipur. In this phase, over 12 lakh voters will decide the fate of 173 candidates, out of which 15 are women.
The polling which took place between 7 AM and 4 PM, covered 29 seats in Manipur’s valley districts – Imphal West, Imphal East, and Bishnupur. Meanwhile, the remaining hill districts are : Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, and Pherzawl. This voting begun at 1721 polling stations.
Incorporating of 60-member state assembly, polls in the northeastern state of Manipur is been conducted in two phases – the first phase began from today, i.e. February 28. While, the second phase of assembly polls will be conducted on March 5.
