Tight security for Bihar polls

By K. Balchand

PATNA, FEB. 11. Amid tight security, the elections to elect a new Bihar Assembly begin tomorrow. The first phase of polling covering 108 constituencies of south and central Bihar assumes significance from the point of naxalite-related violence as also because aspirants for the State's top job are in the fray.

While the dust has settled on the campaigning, the administration is bracing up for the real challenge for conducting a peaceful poll. The State Government has issued shoot-at-sight orders and deployed about 480 companies of para-military forces and the BMP to maintain law and order particularly in the violence-prone areas.

Electioneering, more or less, passed off peacefully barring a few incidents where naxalites set ablaze some campaign vehicles for not heeding to their call for boycott of polls. These incidents occurred in south Bihar.

Police have stepped up vigil and sealed off the borders. Apart from conducting raids, the para-military forces have been conducting flag marches. Troops have been deployed at crucial points. In the State capital, the para-military forces have been assisted by memebers of the Rapid Action Force in manning important check-points.

The leaders aspiring for the Chief Minister's post are among the 1,297 candidates in the fray whose fate will be decided by an electorate of 2.02 crores.

While the Congress(I) is contesting all the 108 seats, the ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal has put up candidates in 95 constituencies leaving eight for its ally, the CPI(M). Its other allies, SJP and the JD(S) have fielded three and one candidate respectively.

The picture in the NDA camp is not clear though. According to the arrangement reached on seat-sharing, the BJP is contesting 70, the Samata 23, the JD(U) 10 and the BPP five. However, the BJP has fielded 87 candidates, the Samata 43, the JD(U) 29 and the BPP 10.

Their directive to ``unauthorised'' candidates to retire from the fray seems to have fallen on deaf ears. In about 20 constituencies, the NDA nominees are likely to face the rebel candidates.

As regards the CPI and the CPI(ML) alliance, the former is contesting 51 seats and the latter 42. The BSP also plunged into the elections in a big way contesting no less than 87 seats.

Three fronts vying for power in Manipur

In Manipur, the fate of 206 candidates will be decided in the first phase of polling in 27 Assembly constituencies of the State where three major fronts are vying for power.

As many as 26 sitting members including eight Ministers are in the fray. Besides the former Chief Minister, Mr. Rishang Keishing, the Transport Minister, Mr. Morung Makunga, the Health Minister, Mr. V. Hangkhalian, and the Forests Minister, Mr. Gangumei Kamei, will seek the verdict of 7,34,000 voters.

Official sources here said preparations were complete and most of the polling parties had reached their respective destinations. Elaborate security arrangements have been made in view of the poll boycott called by the NSCN(IM). Over 20,000 State police personnel and 34 battalions of para- military forces have been deployed for poll duty.

The campaign, which ended yesterday, was on a low key with most of the parties deciding against deputing their top brass for electioneering. The CPI general secretary, Mr. A. B. Bardhan, and the NCP leader, Mr. P. A. Sangma, were the exceptions.

Armed militants forcibly took away election materials from polling personnel of Henglep Assembly constituency in Churachandpur district.

The sources said as per first official reports armed militants took away election materials of nine polling stations in the constituency last night. The Election Office is arranging to supply new polling materials.

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