Amid the sounds of hymns and church bells, the All Manipur Christian Organization (AMCO) appealed to all voters and candidates to ensure a free and fair election without indulging in proxy voting, booth rigging and bribery.
Of the total sixty seats in the Manipur assembly, twenty are from the five hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel and Churachanpur, which have a predominantly Christian population.
"On the way to the church and back, everybody was discussing the coming polls in the hills," said Peter M, a resident of the Naga-dominated Senapti district headquarters.
A conglomerate of all Christian bodies of the state, AMCO, has already organized a series of campaigns in the hills for advocating pastors and church leaders to remain neutral during the election period.
"Today is a sacred day for all Christians. Houses and churches are decorated and people pray for the coming of the Lord on this day. We appeal to the almighty to cleanse our hearts and ensure a bright and prosperous future. We appeal to all Christian brothers to ensure free and fair polls," AMCO president Prim Vaiphei said.
"As the church is one of the most powerful institutions for the Christians, we carried out advocacy meetings urging the church leaders to act impartiality during the polls. We also asked the Christian fraternity not to indulge in proxy voting and booth rigging during polls," he added.
Clarifying that AMCO is a purely non-political organization and has nothing to do with politics, the religious leader said the apex church body stands apart from any political parties.
"During the prolonged economic blockade, we could not carry out our advocacy meeting at Saikul area in Senapati district, but we will soon conduct it there," Prim added.
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