SOCIO-POLITICAL DYNAMICS OF MANIPUR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS IN INDIA 1967-2022

Manipur, one of the seven sisters in the north-eastern region is situated on the border of Myanmar. This state is a house of multiple cultural and ethnic groups and much sensitive to political gameplays and events and hence significant also. Out of Manipur's population, 40.88% are Scheduled Tribe, 41.39% are Hindus and 41.29% Christians. Thus the state is different when it comes to the socio-ethnic demography of the state in comparison with other states of north-eastern India. Manipur has a major part of its population almost 58.61% as Non-Hindus. From 1967 to 2022, Manipur has had twelve state assembly elections. The voters have given a clear mandate to a political party only twice. Hence, coalition government coming into power and getting collapsed anytime had been the political history of the state of Manipur. BJP opened its account with one seat in the assembly elections of 1995 and soon within two decades in 2017 came into power. This government marked the beginning of saffron politics in the culturally, socially and ethnically different Manipur. The dominant caste Meitei through its urge and strong demand of getting status of Schedule Tribe has changed the political scenario throughout. The fall of Indian National Congress in Manipur has given birth too many regional parties and local groups. This paper while throwing light on the rise of these regional parties and BJP in Manipur during the period 1967-2022 through state assembly elections also analyses the socio-political change and dynamics of electoral power in the state.