The current Chief Minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh of the Indian National Congress (INC) has served two consecutive full terms in the face of great political instability in the state, since 2002. He is known to play a major role in pulling the Congress to power in the state. Although he had numbers to form the government for his second term in 2007, he continued with his coalition partners. This year again, INC contests elections under his leadership.
This year however, few of his coalition partners have decided to break away and contest separately. INC faces competition from the People's Democratic Front, which is formed by an alliance of the Manipur People's Party (MPP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Janata Dal - United JD(U), Communist Party of India CPI(M) and a state unit of Rashtraya Janata Dal (RJD). Militant organisations have also caused quite a lot of disturbances in the region against people who declares support for his party.
The main problems facing the state would be insurgency, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the kind of blockades Manipur faces because of the national highway. Laying a huge priority on these agenda, the party hopes to garner support from the people.
Image: Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia (right) shakes hands with Chief Minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh (left), during their meeting to discuss annual plan for the State for the year 2011-12, at Yojana Bhawan in New Delhi (PTI)
