An anti-dam protest in Delhi

Imphal, Feb. 18: It is the smallest constituency in the state in terms of voters, but the outcome of the election to the Tipaimukh seat is no small matter for the Okram Ibobi Singh government.

The chief minister has made several trips to Churachandpur, where Tipaimukh is, and the tenor of his speeches has been the same. “The Congress-led Secular Progressive Front government is committed to bringing about equal development in both the hills and the valley,” he said during an election rally last week.

Tipaimukh has been in the news because of the controversy surrounding the Rs 8,000-crore hydroelectric project there.

The project is one of the main issues of these elections with the majority of NGOs — both in the hills and the valley — opposing it on several grounds.

Ibobi Singh has again fielded sitting MLA Charltonlien Amo, a former minister who is trying to ensure that the project sees the light of day. If he is re-elected, it will mean that the Hmar voters are in favour of the dam.

Tipaimukh, located 300 km from Churachandpur town, has only 17,232 voters — the lowest in the state.

Although National Highway 150, connecting Aizawl to Imphal via Churachandpur town passes through Tipaimukh, it takes two days to reach the subdivisional headquarters from the district headquarters.

Amo is claiming that it was because of his persistent pleading that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced that the highway would be upgraded. The Prime Minister made the announcement during his visit to the state capital in December.

“If the highway is developed, it will serve as the third lifeline for Manipur. People of Tipaimukh will be able to go to Aizawl more easily than to Imphal,” Amo said at a recent election meeting.

He also pitched for the hydroelectric project, claiming that residents of the area would benefit in terms of job opportunities.

Amo’s toughest rival is Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate Ngursanglur, a former minister. Selkai Hrangchal of the Nationalist Congress Party is another former minister in the fray.

The fourth candidate is Berneth Paul of the Lok Jana Sakti.