In this episode, we discuss the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency. There are two distinctions about this seat - one recent and one from the pages of history. In the 2024 polls, it is the only one where polls are being held in two phases.
The second one is from 1952. In the first general elections, when the Congress swept through the country, Outer Manipur was one among 12 seats that elected a socialist candidate.
But those aren’t the most compelling reasons to pick the seat among the 16 we are talking about. We are coming up on one year since the conflict between the Kuki-Zos and Meiteis began. The violence began over the Meitei community’s demand for ST status. The horrific photos and videos that later started circulating, perhaps will never fade from our conscience.
We are joined by senior reporter Abhinay Lakshman, who has been closely following the Manipur conflict, to discuss the peculiarities and the electoral impact of strife on the seat.
Presentation: Sobhana K. Nair
Guest: Abhinay Lakshman
Video: Dipesh
Production: Shikha Kumari
