There is a corner of India where the Congress can find solace in this season of electoral discontent. Tiny Manipur has not turned its back, unlike Punjab and Uttarakhand, on the party and its allies. But there the party’s satisfaction should end. It was an unusual campaign in Manipur, and the challenges for Mr Okram Ibobi Singh’s new government remain as tough as they were in his previous tenure. Not the issues that matter in people’s ordinary lives, but controversies relating to the army’s counter-insurgency operations dominated the campaign. The Congress, like all other parties, promised to work for the revocation of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. Mr Singh knows that it is not going to be easy to keep the promise. Even more important, his government has to create the conditions that can justify the Centre’s decision not to enforce the act in Manipur. If his administration cannot ensure peace and the rule of law, the army and the paramilitary forces may have no choice but to continue with their operations.

However, the campaign in Manipur underscores a bigger problem for the entire North-east. The many insurgencies in the region have created a vicious cycle for it. The battle against the rebellions claims the lion’s share of financial and other resources that are available with the state government. Even the Central funds are mostly spent on fire-fighting operations. The result is a near-total moratorium on development and improvement of basic economic and social infrastructure. That, in turn, fuels despair that the insurgents exploit. Yet, the majority of the people want nothing better than peace and economic opportunities. This was proved by their peaceful participation in the polls. No government should allow small bands of armed rebels to hold the people’s lives to ransom. It is time the government in Manipur took governance seriously. Education, healthcare and job opportunities matter in Manipur as much as they do elsewhere. Mr Singh can fight the rebels best by improving conditions in these areas.