Manipur: Crude bomb blast outside expelled BJP leader’s residence
Guwahati: Unidentified miscreants hurled a crude bomb at the residence of expelled BJP leader Ch Bijoy in Lamphel area in Imphal West district in Manipur.
The incident took place on Friday night, just hours before the second phase of the assembly elections was to begin.
According to national media reports, no one was harmed in the incident, which was set by two masked individuals riding a two-wheeler.
While addressing to media, Bijoy who was expelled from the saffron party for six years last month on disciplinary grounds said “The attack might be a threat… to make me politically silent.”
Further investigation is underway, police said.
Polling for the second and final phase of Manipur’s assembly elections began at 7 am on Saturday in 22 constituencies across six districts.
92 candidates are in fray for the second phase of polls. This time, the spotlight is on the Thoubal district and the Naga-dominated hills where the ruling BJP is facing severe opposition.
The regions on the state’s outskirts have long been strongholds of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Congress, with frequent bandhs and blockades.
According to the official, the districts of Thoubal, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, and Jiribam have a total of 8.38 lakh voters in this phase.
The BJP has fielded 22 candidates, with the Congress (18), the National People’s Party (11), the Janata Dal (United), and the Naga People’s Front trailing behind (10 each).