Saratchandra's claim misleading, says Biren's election agent
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 01 2022: The claims of INC candidate in Heingang Assembly Constituency, Pangeijam Saratchandra about yesterday's polling are misleading and very unfortunate, said Salam Rajen who is the election agent of N Biren.

S Rajen was addressing a press meet at BJP Heingang Mandal office, Koirengei today when he made the statement.

It may be noted that voters of Heingang AC went for poll yesterday as a part of the first phase of the State Assembly elections with only two candidates, P Saratchandra (INC) and N Biren (BJP) in the fray.

And P Saratchandra had charged his rival who is also the CM of intimidating and disallowing entry of his election agents at 11 polling stations of the Assembly segment late evening.

Rebutting the charges, S Rajen told media persons that the first phase polling in the State ended peacefully by and large and so did in Heingang AC.

Notably, CM N Biren has also been advocating peaceful conduct of the election throughout the State and in Heingang.

However, INC candidate P Saratchandra is trying to create a wrong impression about the CM and the BJP by making unfounded allegations, he said.

Saratchandra's claim of his agents being disallowed at 11 polling stations was baseless and neither the BJP workers nor polling agents of BJP intimidated his agents, he said.

Saratchandra is trying to create a fuss out of nothing as he is staring at his own defeat, he added.

Rajen continued that polling agents, as per the norm, have to submit their respective forms to the presiding officer concerned with signature of the candidate prior to the commencement of polling.

However, inordinate delay in submission of names of polling agents of P Saratchandra caused delay in commencement of polling at some polling stations, he said.

Moreover, P Saratchandra had caused obstructions at three polling stations, 2/1-Awang Potsangbam Khunou Mamang Leikai and 2/2 Awang Potsangbam Khunou Maning Leikai and 2/11-Koirengei over the absence of his polling agents forcing voters to stand under harsh sun for sometime.

The voting in the mentioned polling stations resumed after he intervened and approached sector officers and RO concerned, he said.

On the charge of detention of his supporters by police, S Rajen clarified that N Biren had no hands in the matter and added he learnt that the INC supporters were apprehended after a complaint for a suspected attempt to cause disturbance at a polling station was filed at Heingang police station.

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