Manipur elections: The state has over 19 lakh voters and 40 per cent of them are youth.
Campaigning is gaining momentum in Manipur, where the ruling Congress - which has been in power for 15 years - is locked in a battle for survival against the BJP which has made inroads in this Congress bastion. In all the 60 seats of Manipur, a key factor for winning will be who gets more votes of the youth and first time voters.
BJP's first star campaigner for Manipur, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, landed today and held whirlwind meetings before leaving for New Delhi. He predictably talked about the over 100 day-old economic blockade and the permanent peace agreement with NSCN(IM), the militant group that's currently on ceasefire mode.
More than hostilities, the Home Minister focused on creating avenues for the youth. Manipur, with nearly 80 per cent literacy levels, has a higher unemployment rate than the national average.
"We have taken a decision that we will provide loans to at minimum rate for those who are unemployed. I was surprised when I got to know that in the last 15 years there were 600 bandhs in the state. Even after having a stable government for so long why there were so many bandhs?" Rajnath Singh said while releasing the vision document of the BJP in Imphal.
Manipur has over 19 lakh voters and 40 per cent of them are youth. More than 50 thousand are first time voters. Every political party wants to target the first timers.
And the entry of the Iron Lady Irom Sharmila, who's been fighting against tough military laws in the state, has made these elections a multi-cornered contest.
"I want to support sister Sharmila and her party because they are talking of clean politics, no matter if she wins or loses I will support her cause," said RK Bikramjit, Software Developer in Imphal.
In the hills of Manipur, young voters are key. "Actually we all Nagas support NPF morally but I think the BJP is also strong," said Smith, a young voter from Senapati district in Manipur.
His friend Christina said: "I was to change ... there is lot of corruption, this time around I want to change that."
The popularity graph for the ruling Congress among young people in Manipur had been going down but in Ibobi Singh the Congress still has a chief ministerial candidate whom the youths are not writing off.
"There have been some issues with Ibobi rule, but there has been several good projects as well and that's why we are once again supporting him to become CM again," said Sudhir Singh, a young Congress supporter from Thoubal, chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh's constituency where Irom Sharmila is taking on the three time Chief Minister.
If the Congress wants to reach the majority mark of 31 in the 60 member assembly, it surely needs the young voters who are being wooed by both the BJP and Irom Sharmila.