The Hindu : National : Campaigning ends in North-East

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 19, 2004

National

National

Campaigning ends in North-East

GUWAHATI, APRIL 18. Campaigning came to an end this afternoon in 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in the four north-eastern States of Assam, Meghalaya,

Mizoram and Manipur which are going to the polls in the first phase on Tuesday. An electorate of 97,34,954 will decide the fate of 62 candidates in the fray in these 10 seats.Prominent among those whose fate will be decided on Tuesday include the former Lok Sabha Speaker, Purno Agitok Sangma, who is locked in a straight contest in Tura constituency of Meghalaya with the State Public Works Department Minister, Mukul Sangma. Mr. P.A. Sangma is seeking re-election to the Lok Sabha for the eighth term — this time as a candidate of the Nationalist Trinamool Congress (NTC).

Tuesday's poll will also decide the fate of the renowned singer and Dada Saheb Phalke award winner, Bhupen Hazarika, who is contesting on the BJP ticket from Guwahati constituency in Assam. The last day of the campaigning in six constituencies in the State — Guwahati, Mangaldoi, Tezpur, Dhubri, Barpeta and Kokrajhar — was affected by a heavy downpour. The fate of 48 candidates will be decided by 70,99,829 voters in these constituencies.

In Guwahati, candidates and workers of the three major political parties, the Congress, the BJP and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) made last-ditch efforts to woo the electorate by taking out colourful processions despite incessant rains. Besides Mr. Hazarika, the other prominent contestants for the seat are the former State Home Minister, Bhrigu Kumar Phukan (AGP), and the former MP, Kirip Chaliha (Congress).

Among other candidates in the fray in Assam are Jayashree Goswami Mahanta, expelled AGP leader and wife of the former Chief Minister, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, from Dhubri and the All-Bodo Students Union-backed two-time MP, Sansuma Khunggur Bwismuthiary, from Kokrajhar.In Manipur, campaigning came to a close for the Outer Manipur constituency this afternoon under the shadow of the gun with the militant United National Liberation Front (UNLF) calling a general strike on Tuesday to impose its poll boycott call. Political parties had demanded deferment of the poll date saying the candidates could not campaign owing to the ban and boycott call imposed by underground outfits.3- DSix candidates are trying their fortune in the constituency which has 5,49,959 voters.

While the militant Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) has called for a boycott of the Congress, another outfit, Kanglei Yawol Kannn Lup (KYKL), has given a call to boycott BJP candidates for "defying its diktat" to remove the party's State unit president and former Union Minister, Thounajam Chaoba, who is also the sitting MP from inner Manipur. The constituency is going to the polls on April 26.

In Mizoram, the fate of three candidates for the lone Lok Sabha seat will be decided by 5,49,959 voters.

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