Voting begins in northeast amid boycott call in eastern Nagaland

GUWAHATI: Voting began in northeastern states for the first phase where over 1.6 crore voters are registered to exercise the franchise. Polling began at 7am on Friday.

On a sunny day, long queues were witnessed in several districts of Assam where voters lined up in polling stations from 6am in the morning. Rains lashed parts of upper Assam but voters continued to make beeline to polling stations.

The two Lok Sabha constituencies in strife-torn Manipur, including parts of Outer Manipur is also going to polls on Friday. Elaborate security arrangements have been made to prevent any untoward incident in Manipur, officials said. Special polling stations have been created to ensure safe voting by relief camp inmates in Manipur.

In Assam, highest five LS seats are going to polls. "I was the first voter in my polling station today. People came out to vote even in 6am. There is huge enthusiasm among voters to make BJP victorious again," said BJP candidate from Sonitpur, Ranjit Dutta.

The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO), the apex body of seven tribal organisations in Nagaland has asked voters not to vote in the polls. ENPO has imposed indefinite total shutdown in the eastern Nagaland from 6 pm on Thursday to press for its demand for a separate state.

Meghalaya chief minister and NPP chief Conrad K Sangma cast his vote at Walbakgre polling station in Tura. He reached the polling station at 6.30am.

Conrad Sangma said, "I reached the polling station with the hope to cast my vote early but was surprised that so many voters had lined up early to vote."

Conrad's sister Agatha K Sangma is the NPP candidate from Tura Lok Sabha seat.

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