New Delhi, Mar 11: Famous civil rights activist Irom Sharmila, who plunged into politics last year after ending her world's longest hunger strike which ran for 16 years, proved to be a disaster in Manipur elections after the results were announced on Saturday.
Shockingly only a handful of 90 people voted in her favour from Thoubal constituency while her main opponent and Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh got 18,649 votes.
Even the NOTA (None of the Above) option got 143 votes, much more than what Sharmila got on her debut.
The real threat to Singh was BJP whose candidate Leitanthem Basanta Singh polled 8179 votes. Sharmila, on the other hand, had openly announced last year that she wants to become the chief minister of Manipur to achieve her goal of repealing AFSPA.
A disheartened Sharmila was quick to announce her decision to quit politics but said she will continue her fight against AFSPA.
She said she is fed up of the political system and will never fight elections again in life.
"But I will continue my fight against AFSPA until and unless it is repealed. I will fight as a social activist," she said.
Her party PRJA (Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance) had put up candidates for three seats and had got support from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) comprising six parties including CPI, CPIM, JDU and AAP. The other two candidates also lost badly and even lost their deposit.
"We have lost a battle in the long war, but we have started the fire, initiated a movement which will continue. Thanks all for the support," PRJA said on Twitter.
What went wrong?
The Meira Paibis (women activists) who had been Sharmila's backbone during her agitation against the 'draconian' Armed Forces Special Powers Act went against her once she announced entry into politics.
Even during campaigning, Sharmila looked alone with a bicycle and a whistle (party's symbol).
Her dharna against AFSPA had made her famous throughout the state as an activist even before she got into politics.
In the recent years her romantic relationship with Desmond Coutinho, a Goa-born British citizen, had not got down well with her supporters.
Recently she had to even apologise for her boyfriend's misbehaviour with her supporters but also announced to get married once the elections are over.
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