With large sections of Outer Manipur dominated by Kuki-Zo people set to vote on April 19 along with the Inner Manipur constituency, political parties are now creating backchannels to start talks with leaders of apex tribe bodies and civil society organisations (CSOs), making their own pitch to appeal to their sensibilities.
Amid the ongoing ethnic conflict in the State between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities, Kuki-Zo CSOs have called for their community members to refrain from contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. As a result, all candidates in the fray in Outer Manipur this time are from the Naga tribes, and each candidate is trying to carefully weave a thread of solidarity with the Kuki-Zo people - a tricky task given that the Naga tribes had declared neutrality when the conflict broke out last May.
The Congress party’s Alfred Kanngam Arthur has had a head start in this regard. The Congress’s campaign strategy for the Outer Manipur seat has so far been to start conversations with apex tribe bodies such as the Kuki Inpi Manipur and the Zomi Council, with at least one such meeting already having taken place this week in Churachandpur.
