Blockades are going to play heavily on Manipur voters’ mind as the last two years saw them fighting to get access to basic commodities like petrol, LPG cylinders and other basic essentials.

Last year, the state was crippled by 120-day-long economic blockade that saw petrol/diesel prices shoot up to Rs 240/200 a litre and LPG to Rs 2,000 per cylinder. The Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) had launched economic blockades on National Highways 39 and 53 from July 31 midnight to press for its demand for a separate Kuki majority Sadar Hills district, carved out of Naga-majority Senapati district.

The UNC then launched counter-blockades on the two highways, opposing the demand. Ultimately, both the associations ended their agitation before the end of the year. The economic blockade in 2010 had lasted for 68 days, and was launched in protest against the election to the Autonomous District Council (ADC) in the hill districts that were held after a gap of 20 years.

The Congress is hoping that its efforts to hold elections to the ADC would reap it benefit in the upcoming polls.