Imphal: Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has rushed to New Delhi to discuss the prevailing situation with the Election Commission and relevant Ministries in view of the Lok Sabha boycott call in the State by militants, official sources said today.

Sources said Singh who left for the capital yesterday (Apr 11, 2004) would hold a high-level meeting with Home Ministry officials for deployment of adequate central security forces during the two-phase polling on April 20 and 26 in the State.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...
Political Parties in India

They said that the chief secretary A P Sharma and DGP A K Parashar who both had been persuading the central authorities to provide adequate security during Lok Sabha elections would also attend the meeting.

Major separatist group United National Liberation Front (UNLF) had earlier called for complete boycott of Lok Sabha elections and "banned" all poll-related activities in the State.

Separatists Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) and Kanglei Yawol Kann Lup (KYKL) had in separate statements earlier "banned" all election-related activities of the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on different issues.

Official sources said that Singh who is also State Congress president would discuss with party high command to chalk out election strategy since the party candidate T Meinya Singh in Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat had been boycotted by the RPF.

While RPF had said Congress-led Secular Progressive Front Ministry had failed to prevent central forces from committing atrocities on civilians, KYKL had said BJP candidate in Inner Manipur Th Chaoba singh was vocal against KYKL activities.

RPF and KYKL boycotted the Congress and BJP on these issues, party sources said.

Manipur has two Parliamentary seats. While first phase polling would be held on April 20 in Outer Manipur, second phase on April 26 in Inner Manipur.