Big faces in the Manipur elections

68-year-old Okram Ibobi Singh belongs to Congress party and has been the chief minister of Manipur since 2002. He will contest the assembly polls next month from Thoubal constituency and is pitted against PRJA chief and activist Irom Sharmila. Singh is the most successful chief minister of Manipur, brushing aside anti-incumbency factor in the state. He has also been targeted by multiple insurgent groups over the years. (Reuters photo)

Activist, 'Iron Lady' and latest entrant in Manipur politics. Irom Sharmila fasted for 16 long years with a demand to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act or AFSPA which grants unrestrained powers to forces deployed in Northeast and other areas declared 'disturbed' by the Centre. Sharmila's struggle began in the year 2000 after the death of 10 people in a shootout by Assam Rifles in Malom, Imphal. Sharmila was 28 at that time. She has now chosen a political path to continue her fight against AFSPA and launched a political party named People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance or PRJA. (TOI photo)

Nongthombam Biren Singh is a political heavyweight in Manipur. The vice-president of the state unit of Congress, Singh recently resigned from Manipur assembly and primary membership of the party over differences with chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh. He has been leading a dissident camp since last one-and-a-half years. Dissatisfied with the chief minister's way of functioning, Biren has been vocal against the Congress government in the state. His resignation is second jolt to Congress after another prominent leader Yumkham Erabot quit the party and joined BJP. (Pic: manipurassembly.nic.in)

Gaikhangam is the current deputy chief minister of Manipur and a senior leader of the ruling Congress. 62-year-old Gaikhangam is a Naga leader and a member of state Assembly from Nungba (ST) constituency in Tamenglong district. He has been winning from Nungba since 1980. He was the president of state unit of Congress, but was replaced by T N Haokip last year after a rebellion by 25 dissident leaders. (Pic: manipurpcc.org.in)

Former PHED minister and MLA Telsing Ngamjang Haokip is the chief of the Manipur unit of the Congress. He represents Saikot Assembly constituency in Churachandpur district. (Pic: manipurassembly.nic.in)