Irom Sharmila Chanu's followers outside Manipur, including many in media, reacted to her abject failure in her first, and it seems last, foray into electoral politics with emotions ranging from disappointment to shock. There was a genuine sense of puzzlement.

How could she lose and lose so badly – she got 90 out of 27,271 votes. But, some of her self-professed followers expressed disappointment in and even berated citizens of Manipur for not having elected her despite her years of sacrifice. Some wondered, if Irom's loss implied the people of Manipur did not care one ...