Irom Sharmila rides bicycle for 20 km to file nomination from Thoubal against CM Okram Ibobi

Manipur: Activist Irom Sharmila, better known as the 'Iron lady of Manipur', rode a bicycle for nearly 20 kilometres to file nomination for Thoubal Assembly seat in the upcoming Manipur Assembly Elections 2017. 

Sharmila has filed her nomination against Chief Minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh. 

PRJA's Irom Sharmila rides a bicycle to file nomination for Thoubal Assembly seat in Manipur assembly polls against CM Okram Ibobi (16/2) pic.twitter.com/xz4olU0kf0

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Sharmila filed her nominations on behalf of her Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), which is making an electoral debut this election season.

Sharmila who ended her 16-year-old fast against Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in August 2016, will be one of the main opponent against the Congress veteran Ibobi in Thoubal. 

On Thursday, February 16, Sharmila reached Thoubal on her bicycle, covering a distance of about 20 kilometres from Imphal, flanked by her party activists.

While Sharmila is making a debut in the upcoming Manipur elections, Ibobi Singh, the three-time Chief Minister of Manipur, is eyeing for a fourth term in office after being elected successively in 2002, 2007 and 2012 respectively.

Polls in Manipur will be held on March 4, 2017, and March 8, 2017. The elections in the north-eastern state will be held in two phases. 

The counting of votes will take place on March 11. 

The last state assembly election in Manipur was held in 2012 in which the Congress had won 42 seats and Okram Ibobi Singh was re-elected as the chief minister for the third time consecutively.

Sharmila may contest from two constituencies – Thoubal and Khurai. 

She has already filed for Thoubal, the constituency of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh while Khurai is her home constituency.

Earlier, Irom Sharmila had accused BJP of corruption claiming that she was offered Rs. 36 crore to contest the elections on the saffron party’s ticket.

“Just after my fast, I met a BJP leader who suggested that I will need lots of money depending on current system of politics. He said I will need on an average Rs. 36 crore for fighting the election, if I have that amount I need to produce it, if not the Centre will give it,” she told reporters in Manipur.

Rubbishing her claims, BJP leader Ram Madhav said, “Absolute lie. Our entire election campaign in MANIPUR doesn’t cost that much. She should find respectable ways of fighting elections,” he tweeted earlier. 

Sharmila, who ended her 16-year-long fast demanding repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) on August 9 last year, formed the People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA).