Gaikhangam alleges UGs' hand in Nungba A/C violent incidents
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 06, 2012:
Alleging that the candidates of Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) and Naga People's Front (NPF) who are supported by ZUF and NSCN-IM cadres respectively have resorted to all kinds of poll related violence in Nungba A/C, the INC has complained to ECI in this regard.
Addressing media persons here at Congress Bhawan, Gaikhangam, President, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), said that re-poll was conducted in nine polling stations of Nungba A/C.In polling station number 54/9, the supporters of MSCP and NPF came with guns and stones and tried to disrupt the election process.
By that time a total number of 600 voters have cast their votes.
The polling station is the home polling station of Gaikhangam and the supporters of MSCP and NPF feared that if all the voters were allowed to vote in that area, Gaikhangam would surely come out successful and hence the ZUF and the NSCN-IM who were supporting the two parties separately resorted to violence in the area.
Many people including some women were injured in the act, he said.
Since the situation could not be controlled immediately by the polling personnel deployed, the polling officers sealed the EVM and kept it at a secure place.
Later AR personnel arrived and brought the situation under control.
After which, around 150 voters who were still present inside the compound were allowed to cast their votes in an extra EVM brought by the polling personnel, he added.
Gaikhangam also clarified that the allegations made by MSCP that 145 voters were forcibly made to cast their votes by him are false and baseless.Since the Congress fielded candidates in all the 60 constituencies of the state, he hardly had any time to visit his own constituency and cast his vote.
He also said that the NSCN-IM and ZUF cadres openly threatened the people of the area from voting for Congress and also resorted to tearing down of Congress flag and festoons, damaging Congress offices and even went to the extent of firing shots which left many people injured.
This clearly shows that the armed cadres were openly supporting the MSCP and NPF candidates, he added.