Manipur goes to the polls on March 4 and 8, 2017 for its 11th Legislative Assembly Elections. The electoral fight here has always been between the Congress and the BJP, but this time around the bipolar contest has been muddied with rebels from both parties expected to act as spoilers. By virtue of how the two national parties have conducted their campaigns, the election is billed as a contest between Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh of the Congress and the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Chief Minister was almost in trouble with BJP digging its entire misdeed starting from corruption, various scams including that of K-Pro Loktak scam, and rampant appointment of government jobs to the near and dear ones.
BJP on the other hand is facing serious hurdle over its attempt to solve the aged old problem of NSCN-IM. While defending the Okram and team’s allegation on the supposedly conspiracy on the controversial framework agreement here in the valley region, the saffron team is facing another crisis in hill district particularly to those which are dominated by cadres of NSCN-IM.
A promise for protection of territorial integrity of Manipur is a thrashing blow to the NSCN-IM which has signed agreement with the government of India and silencing on the matter is more like surrendering to the congress led Okram Ibobi and team.
Congress team under the leadership of Okram Ibobi is playing tough with the Naga issue and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s team inexplicit clarification on the ‘frame work’ agreement with the NSCN-IM has left the BJP leaving on stoning frame. Every political parties including the BJP know that a verbal clarification will not help in convincing the people of the state. This issue of NSCN-IM has been sensitized to almost every Manipuri people since 1997. The death of 21 people in the mass uprising for extending cease fire extension to the state of Manipur is no joke. And this is known to the government of India.
Well, by not presenting the so called frame work agreement between the NSCN-IM and the GoI, Mr. Prime Minister and his team is indirectly giving a chance to Mr. Okram Ibobi and his team to subside the various misdeed his government had committed to the people of the state for 15 years.
The fake encounter case, drug smuggling case, misutilization of various fund in almost all government department including the Horticulture department, Home Department, PWD etc. and most importantly the infamous Loktak scam at which crores of rupees has been misutilised are being cover up.
The so call ‘frame work agreement’ signed between the NSCN-IM and the Government of India should be publicized if Mr. Prime Minister and his team is not having any plan of playing Pema Khandu episode of Arunachal Pradesh.
