Will take on Manipur CM in Assembly polls: Irom Sharmila

Irom Sharmila said that the sole agenda behind contesting elections was to have AFSPA repealed from the state.

Imphal, Jan 2: Activist Irom Chanu Sharmila, who ended her 16-year fast demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from Manipur last August, on Monday declared her intention to take on Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh from the latter's Thoubal constituency in the upcoming Assembly polls.

She told a press conference here that her decision to contest the election was based on the "sole agenda" to have AFSPA repealed from the state as she felt her prolonged fasting "campaign" was not yielding any positive result.

In October last, the 44-year-old activist had formed her own party, Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance, to fight the polls.

PTI