BJP feared Dr Bimol at the hustings : INDIA

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 23: The rampant election malpractices, booth capturing and proxy voting on April 19 were a result of the BJP's fear for INC candidate Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, said INDIA Bloc convenor Ksh Shanta Singh today.
Speaking to reporters during a press meet held at Congress Bhavan, Shanta said the INDIA Bloc strongly believes that Dr Bimol will win the Inner Manipur Parliamentary seat.
The just concluded Lok Sabha polls for Inner Manipur Parliamentary seat was a test to show that elections can be won without using money power, he said.
While accusing the BJP and some other parties of giving Rs 300 to Rs 500 per head to voters, Shanta said INC candidate Dr Bimol didn't participate in the unethical trend.
"No money was given to any voter. It is a major moral victory even though the results of the elections have not been declared yet. We strongly believe that Dr Bimol will win the elections," Shanta said.
He said the first phase of the elections on April 19 was marred by incidents of booth capturing, proxy voting and violence in as many as 47 polling stations--36 in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency and 11 in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency.
While INDIA Bloc filed complaints and urged the Election Commission of India to hold repoll in all 47 polling stations, the Commission ordered repoll in only 11 stations of the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, he added.
When INDIA Bloc team inspected the polling stations yesterday, people were seen casting their votes peacefully in all the 11 stations, Shanta said.
Strict security measures were taken up by the Central and State security forces in all the polling stations. If the elections on April 19 were held like the repoll, the Lok Sabha elections this year would have been beautiful, he said.
Shanta claimed most people who came out to vote supported Dr Bimol in the repoll, and said 60-70 percent of the total votes would go in favour of the INC. The repoll was peaceful without any untoward incidents. The 2nd phase of the Lok Sabha elections for Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency seat on April 26 must also be held peacefully, he said.
Appealing to the Election Commission to conduct the polls smoothly, he said, people must be allowed to cast their votes without any intimidation or fear.
Former secretary of Manipur State Council CPI, Laishram Sotinkumar, who was also present in the press meet, said the Bharatiya Janata Party desecrated democracy during the elections on April 19.
BJP is being denounced by the people in many States of India, and its leaders have been chased away by people with sticks during election campaigning, he said.
The rampant election malpractices on April 19 were a result of the BJP's fear for the INC candidate Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, he said.
He accused BJP of using money and muscle power to gain votes, and said raising "private army" and using them to intimidate voters was very unfortunate. He further asserted that the European Union's Parliament discussing the Lok Sabha elections in Manipur is very shameful for the State.
Sotinkumar urged people to denounce, reject and root out 'money for vote' in all elections, and support candidates who are sincere and deserving.
Shiv Sena (UT) Manipur State president Toijam Debanand and other members of the INDIA Bloc attended the press meet.
While some segments of the Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency voted on April 19, the remaining 13 Assembly segments will vote on April 26.