Municipal election campaign to end tomorrow

Imphal, May 28 (UNI) The campaign for Imphal Municipal Council(IMC) election for the 27 wards will conclude at 1600hrs tomorrow, with the polling scheduled to would be held on May 31.

At the last leg of the campaign, candidates and supporters campaigned with flags and festoons. Vehicles carrying loud speakers also moved around in the city.

About 103 candidates would contest for 27 wards including ten seats reserved for women. Twenty wards are in Imphal West and seven in Imphal East.

The Congress and the Communist Party of India, both allies of the ruling Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government, would go for a friendly contest.

The Congress party has put up 25 candidates, the NCP 16, CPI eight and other parties also fielded one or two candidates.

Former Chief Minister and President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Radhabinod Koijam said the 'real' fight would be between the Congress and the NCP.

''The Municipal elections is important as the Councillors directly work for people,'' he added.

Preparations for the polling have also been undertaken.

Election officials said about 2.4 lakh people would exercise their franchise at 232 polling stations. The government would post about 1160 officials.

Officials said eight polling stations have been classified as 'sensitive'. Counting of votes would begin on June 2.

The BJP could work freely due to the ban on election activities of the party by the militant outfit Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL).

The KYKL has demanded that former Union Minister T H Chaoba should be expelled from the party for alleged involvement in corruption.

The militant outfit said it would ban all activities of BJP until Chaoba was expelled from the party.

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