Manipur gears up for LS polls

Imphal : With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, Manipur is all set for the big day with major political parties in the state, the Congress and Bharatya Janata Party (BJP) gearing up for the day. As per reports, the BJP has already nominated former chief minister of the state, W. Nipamacha as its candidate for the Inner Constituency. However, there have been no reports of the Congress or any other major party of the state finalising their candidates till date.

Though, according to reports, the BJP Manipur Pradesh officially confirmed the candidature of W. Nipamacha on January 20 last along with other 17 (seventeen) candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in a meeting of the central election committee of the BJP under the presidentship of Rajnath Singh and attended by LK Advani, the prime ministerial candidate of the party, preparations to the polls in Manipur supposedly began as early as November 2008 when there were reported instances of politicians of the state shifting parties.

According to reports, a good number of politicians, about 14 (fourteen) joined the BJP in November last including four from the Manipur People’s Party (MPP), a prominent political party of the state besides being a leading opposition party of the state. These four reportedly include former chief minister RK. Dorendra and three other former ministers; Salam Ibohal, Meinam Nilachandra and ex-candidate Kh. Dinamani.

Accepting them into the party, Dr. Haobam Borbabu, president of the BJP Manipur Pradesh stated that more and more were joining the party as they have complete trust in the party. He is also reported to have expressed his confidence of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returning to power at the centre after the Lok Sabha elections followed by a similar change in the power equilibrium in Manipur too.
And as for the Congress, its victory over the MPP candidate in the recently held Moirang A/C by-election was perhaps an “acid test for the Congress” as termed by the chief minister, O. Ibobi Singh.

While addressing the 123rd anniversary of the Indian National Congress on December 28, Ibobi Singh reportedly alleged that the result would help determine whether the people of the state have faith in the Congress led government or not. Perhaps, one could well term this statement of the chief minister as ascertaining the faith of the people of the state with the approaching Lok Sabha elections. However, interestingly the Congress has not, so far nominated or given out the name of any candidate for the elections. But it is also worth noting here that the sitting member of parliament (MP) of Inner Manipur, Dr. Th. Meinya is a candidate of the Congress in the Inner constituency and could well be set for another term.

Meanwhile, BJP is also all set to compete in the Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, according to certain reports, this will be decided during a three day National executive meeting of the party to be held in Nagpur from February 6.

It would perhaps be interesting to note here that Mani Charanamei, an independent candidate, is presently the sitting MP of Outer Manipur parliamentary constituency.
Meanwhile, in a reported statement that could well be considered one of the highs of the ‘campaign’ for the parliamentary elections, P. Chandrasekhar Rao, organisational secretary of the North East zone BJP asserted that the law and order situation of Manipur was deteriorating under the Congress and observed that there was a need for change in the state government. He was recently on a three day visit to the state to hold discussion with the leaders of the BJP in relation with the upcoming parliamentary elections. Rao also reportedly asserted that only the BJP could bring a change to the state.

In such a situation, there are certain questions that linger in the minds of the people. It will sure be another “acid test” for the Congress. But will they pass the test this time, or will it be the BJP or another party? Perhaps, Independent again? Only time can tell. (NNN)

Source: MORUNG EXPRESS

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