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Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Opposition Leader Likely To Be Imran Khanโ€™s Replacement

Shehbaz Sharif, the Leader of the Opposition, is widely seen as a frontrunner for the role of Prime Minister of Pakistan. He is barely recognised outside of Pakistan, although he has a domestic reputation as a capable administrator.

The 70-year-old is the younger brother of three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and is leading the oppositionโ€™s attempt to destabilise the government of Imran Khan, who was dismissed as Prime Minister of Pakistan on Sunday after losing a no-confidence vote in parliament after weeks of political turmoil.

Analysts say Shehbaz, unlike Nawaz Sharif, has friendly relations with Pakistanโ€™s military, which usually dominates the countryโ€™s foreign and defence policies.

Shehbaz Sharifโ€™s administrative skills were on display when he worked closely with China on Beijing-funded projects as chief minister of Pakistanโ€™s Punjab province.

He said in an interview last week that good ties with the US were critical for Pakistan for better or for worse, in contrast to Mr Khanโ€™s antagonistic relationship with Washington.

Following a military takeover in Pakistan in 1999, Shehbaz was imprisoned and exiled to Saudi Arabia. In 2007, he returned to the country. After Nawaz Sharif was found guilty in 2017 on charges of hiding assets related to the Panama Papers revelations, Shehbaz rose to the top of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party.

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38 Seats In Manipur Go To Polls in First Phase Today

Aleesha Sam

Guwahati: Polling begins today in the troubled northeastern state of Manipur, where the BJP-led alliance is hoping for a second term in power in a multi-cornered contest. Thirty-eight of the states 60 seats vote amid tight security from 7 am.

The first phase of polls covers 29 seats in Manipurโ€™s valley districts โ€” Imphal West, Imphal East, and Bishnupur. The rest are in the hill districts of Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, and Pherzawl.

Besides the BJP and the Congress, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangmaโ€™s National Peopleโ€™s Party is also in the fray this time, contesting 38 seats. The National Peopleโ€™s Party and Naga Peopleโ€™s Front, which have been part of the BJP-led ruling coalition, are going solo in this election, expressing dissatisfaction with the N Biren Singh government. The Janata Dal United is contesting the elections in the state after 20 years.

The Congress had emerged as the single largest party in Manipur in 2017, winning 28 of the 60 seats. But the BJP, despite winning 21 seats, had formed government in the state, with the help of the National Peopleโ€™s Party and Naga Peopleโ€™s Front.

The state has seen a high-voltage campaign, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah holding multiple political rallies. The Kuki National Organisation, an armed underground group, has โ€œappealedโ€ to the people of the Hill areas to vote for the BJP, creating unease among the opposition parties.

For the Congress, which lost much ground in the northeast since 2014, Manipur is a battle for survival. The partyโ€™s former Chief Minister Ibobi Singh has said they are trying to work out an โ€œunderstandingโ€ with other parties so they can move fast if they fail to win majority but emerge as the single largest party.

Blaming former Governor Najma Heptulla for the 2017 upset, Mr Singh said, โ€œThe Governor didnโ€™t allow us to form the government. BJP central ministers were sitting with her at Raj Bhawan. Congress will be revived in this electionโ€.

Rajesh Agarwal, the chief Electoral Officer of Manipur told NDTV that insurgency adds to the overall challenge of conducting polls in the state and 1,900 polling stations are considered either vulnerable or critical.

โ€œOver 2,000 incidents related to polls reported over the last 50 days,โ€ Mr Agarwal said. He also said separate arrangements have been made for cadres of the rebel groups who wish to vote. The groups have been overground since ceasefire was declared in 2008.

Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the people that the government will hold peace talks with all Kuki insurgent groups and the matter will be resolved in the next five years. As the problem of Bodo militancy was solved in neighbouring Assam, no Kuki youth will have to carry arms anymore, Mr Shah said at a political rally.

The second phase and last phase of the election in the state is on March 5. The counting of votes will take place on March 10, with four other states including Uttar Pradesh.

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