Imphal: As Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to hit the campaign trail in Imphal on Monday as a star campaigner for BJP candidate Thounaojam Basantakumar Singh, the authorities in the state capital have activated multi-tier security setup, including a ban on flying of drones.
Basantakumar, who is currently holding incharge of education and law in the Biren Singh-led government, is the lone BJP candidate of the ruling party in the state. He will be contesting from the 1-Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency. The outer Manipur is represented by its ally NPF candidate Kachui Timothy Zimik, who is a retired IRS officer.
The 2024 general election in Manipur will be held on 19 April and 26 April to elect two members of the 18th Lok Sabha, from the constituencies of Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur.
Shah, who is arriving in Imphal from Agartala, at 2 pm will be addressing an election rally at Hapta Kangjeibung or Palace Compound and then will meet party karyakartas at the BJP Sanglen (BJP Bhavan) in the evening. He will leave Imphal around 4.30 pm, party sources said.
Meanwhile, in view of the proposed visit of the Union Home Minister, the state government has announced a temporary ban on flying any kind of drone or remotely piloted vehicles (RPV) or of its kind in the entire route starting Bir Tikendrajit International Airport to Sanjenthong.
In a statement, Kirankumar, District Magistrate, Imphal West, informed that drone or any of its kind should not fly over the restricted areas marked as permanent Red Zone of the state government, i.e., Raj Bhavan, Chief Minister’s Secretariat Office complex, Manipur Assembly complex, Civil Secretariat, Police Headquarters and Imphal International airport.
Shah’s visit to Manipur comes almost 10 months after the ethnic violence gripped the north east state that broke out on May 3 last year. He visited Manipur on May 29 and stayed in the state for three days. The Union Minister also assured that he would return to the state after 10 days to take stock of the law and order situation.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hasn’t yet visited the strife torn state, in an interview with The Assam Tribune, claimed that with the “timely intervention” by the Central government and “efforts” of the BJP led state government, there has been a “marked improvement” in the situation in the state.
