Voters wait outside a polling booth during the first phase of Manipur state elections in Imphal on Monday, Feb. 28, 2022.(Photo: IANS/PIB)Imphal: Voting for the second and final phase of the Manipur Assembly elections is being held today to seal the electoral fate of 92 candidates in 22 constituencies across six districts. The first phase of voting was held on February 28, (repoll was ordered in 12 polling stations) with votes set to be counted on March 10.A total of 8.38 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase in the districts of Thoubal, Chandel, Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Jiribam. Polling will start at 7 am and will continue till 4 pm, with officials asserting that arrangements for webcasting or videography have been made in all polling stations and adequate central forces deployed.The BJP has fielded 22 candidates, followed by Congress at 18, National People’s Party with 11 and the Janata Dal (United) and Naga People’s Front with 10 each. 12 Independents and nominees of the Shiv Sena, NCP, CPI and several other parties are also contesting. Notably, several of the politicians in the fray had previously contested the elections under different symbols.Prominent candidates in the second phase include two major Congress leaders – former three-term chief minister O Ibobi Singh (contesting from Thoubal where he has won consistently since 2007) and ex-deputy CM Gaikhangam Gangmei who will face off against BJP leader and former IAS officer Dinganglung Gangmei in the Nungba assembly constituency.Manipur Election 2022 | JDU Candidate Shot In Kshetrigao | Manipur News UpdateThoubal district incidentally is considered to be something of a Congress bastion, with the party having won five out of six seats in the previous election.From the same area, the Lilong seat remains noteworthy, with 2017 winner Md. Abdul Nasir now contesting on a JD(U) ticket. Having quit the Congress he had contested the 2020 by-poll as an independent candidate but lost to Antas Khan. The latter has since joined the BJP and the two are headed for yet another showdown.Related NewsRe-poll in 12 polling stations in Manipur amid damage to EVMsWith the BJP and the Naga People’s Front contesting the elections separately, Manipur Minister Losii Dikho will be contesting from the Mao seat against BJP leader and fellow Minister Sanii Alexander Makho. Another Minister, Letpao Haokip, will be contesting as a BJP candidate from Tengnoupal. He had won the Chandel seat in 2017 as an NPP candidate. The Tengnoupal seat meanwhile was won in the last two elections by the Congress, whose winning candidate is now an NPP member and will be contesting against Haokip.Repolling to be held for 12 polling stations of five assembly constituenciesAccording to a recently released statement from the Manipur Chief Electoral Officer Rajesh Agarwal, repolling has been recommended for 12 sites based on updates received from the Returning Officers. The main reason for consideration of repolling was due to damage of EVMs by miscreants during and after the poll. The polling stations going for repoll include Sarouthel, New Keithelmanbi, Songsang, Maite, Tinsuong, Majuron Kuki, N Chingphei, Khoirentak, Molsang, Leinom, Teikot and Maukot in the Khundrakpam, Saitu, Thanlon, Henglep and Churachandpur assembly constituencies.Manipur Polls 2022 | Clash Between BJP And Congress Workers Ahead Of Second Phase | Latest News