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Assembly byelection : Voters defy Apunba Lup boycott call |
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Voters, however, defied the Apunba Lup’s call for a boycott of all elections till the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act was withdrawn from Manipur.
Polling in the Konthoujam constituency was conducted amid tight security in view of the statewide general strike called by the Apunba Lup. Voters turned up in large numbers, resulting in 89.44 per cent polling.
The ruling Secular Progressive Front (SPF) described the large turnout of voters as a “sign of a vibrant democracy”.
Moirangthem Nara Singh, convener of the steering committee of the coalition, said the poll percentage showed that voters of Konthoujam were politically conscious.
“It (election) was a good event, held peacefully and with full participation of the electorate. The voters turned up at the polling booths to exercise their franchise without any fear despite difficulties (the general strike and the boycott call).”
The SPF’s partners, the Congress and the CPI, had fielded a consensus candidate.
The Opposition Political Parties’ Forum, Manipur, too, hailed the high percentage of voting.
“The massive turnout was a success of the democratic process. More important, people still believe in the democratic process,” Okram Joy Singh, one of the spokespersons for the forum, said.
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