Amidst the impending commencement of the initial phase of the 18th Lok Sabha election on April 19, the Union home minister, Amit Shah, is slated to make an appearance in Manipur on April 14, where he will engage with the populace at Hapta Kangjeibung, Palace Compound.
A pivotal figure in the electoral landscape, Amit Shah, spearheads the campaign efforts of the BJP for the 18th Lok Sabha elections. During his visit, he will rally support for the BJP’s nominee in the Inner Manipur parliamentary constituency, Th Basanta Kumar, and advocate for the NDA-affiliated NPF’s aspirant, Kachui Timothy Zimik, vying for the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency seat.
A source within the BJP state unit corroborated Amit Shah’s impending visit, affirming that the party’s principal campaigner will descend upon the state on April 14 to jointly spearhead the election campaign alongside the NPF.
The BJP Manipur Pradesh had petitioned the district magistrate of Imphal East for authorization to conduct a large-scale election gathering at Hapta Kangjeibung on April 14, which has already secured sanction. Preparations for the event are already underway, as disclosed by the informant.
It’s worth noting that Amit Shah’s last visit to the state coincided with the peak of unrest on May 29, during which he remained present for a duration of three days.
In addition to touring various areas marred by violence, including Churachandpur, and engaging with civil society leaders and residents, Amit Shah pledged to quell the unrest within a concise timeframe.
His slated return to the state on April 14 marks a hiatus of over ten months since his previous visit.
Conversely, there is no indication of the arrival of prominent campaigners from INC and RP1 (Athawale) in the state, despite both national parties nominating candidates for the impending election.
Nonetheless, Neiphiu Rio, leader of the NPF and incumbent chief minister of Nagaland, recently expressed his inclination to visit Manipur and partake in the election campaign in support of Kachui Timothy Zimik.
While hostilities between conflicting factions have ceased since the announcement of the 18th Lok Sabha election schedule, the underlying discord remains unresolved, thereby deterring political parties from commencing overt campaigning for the forthcoming election.
