PM Modi to address rally in Imphal on Saturday

IMPHAL: With campaigning for the two-phased Assembly polls gaining momentum in the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Manipur on Saturday, to address an election rally in Imphal West district.

The venue of the rally was shifted from Kangla Fort to Langjing Achouba after Irom Sharmila's Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) raised objections.

Voting will be held on March 4 and 8. 266 candidates - including ten women - are in the fray.Congress and BJP are the two main players in the election fight. While the Congress has fielded 59 candidates, the BJP has fielded 60. Trinamool Congress has fielded 16, NCP seven, CPI six and CPI(M) two.

Among the regional parties, Naga People's Front has fielded 16 candidates and People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) one. Twenty three Independents are also in the fray.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi will also visit Imphal to campaign for the party on February 28.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and North-East Democratic Alliance Convenor Hemanta Biswa Sarma have campaigned for their party candidates in different parts of the state.