IT Desk
Imphal, March 9:
With just a day left for the counting of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election that was held in two phases, political players now started looking forward to form a new government.
The BJP which is expecting to get the largest seat in the 60 assembly constituencies is also reported to have been looking for partner political parties or candidates which they may get support in the formation of the next government. The party believes to get more than 25 seats and some of its leaders still believe that their number may reach 35 as per the performance of its candidates in all the Assembly constituencies. However, there are skepticisms of BJP reaching 25 numbers to some of the dedicated party leaders and candidates, for that, there is reason to believe that report based on sources about the BJP looking for partner party to form the next government maybe not an assumption.
The same is for the main opposition party Congress which is still claiming to get the required number of seats to form a new government. 4 top leaders of the AICC had arrived in the state yesterday as observers of the post-poll and the source said that the Congress party is also started looking for partner political parties to form the next government. The Congress already has a pre-poll alliance with 5 other left-wing parties including the CPI, CPI(M), Forward Block, RJD among others. Among these partner political parties, CPI had fielded two candidates – one at Khurai Assembly constituency and the other at Kakching Assembly constituency.
The NPP too which has been expecting double-digit numbers is also firm in playing a major role to the formation of the next government. Unlike the JD(U) and the NPF, the NPP does not stick to going along with a particular political party. That might be a reason for the Congress Party to start communicating with the NPP as they believe that a combination of both the party may get the magic numbers to stake claims for the formation of the new government.
It is natural for each and every political party to prepare strategy for the formation of government as the election held in the state showed no political party winning single majority seats in the 60 member house.
The post-election political theatre may be considered a tough one. Not because the BJP after getting even 21 seats have the advantage of forming the next government, but because there are talks going around about the probability of changing their leadership if the number of BJP seats fails to get over 31 seat. If BJP fails to get the magic number then there are signs of incumbent Chief Minister N. Biren Singh falling in trouble water. However, such a decision without placing a better position for N. Biren Singh may also put the BJP in deep trouble water.
As for Congress, depending on the number of seats they get, they might even consider sacrificing of the top post. But still, there seems no trouble in the party in re-electing former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi as the Chief Ministerial candidate. If in case, NPP makes a surprise by winning nearly 20 seats, (which is not expected based on the constituency-wise analysis), there are possibilities of its party legislature wing leader claiming the Chief Ministerial seat. Congress may accept the condition just because their plan is to wipe out a BJP led government.
However, there is strong reason to believe – a comeback of a BJP led government in the state. Already the NPF which may win at least in 3 sits or even more and the JD(U) which is expected to reach near 2 digit numbers have declared openly that their party will form a government with the BJP.
It is just a day now, to know the fate of the candidates. Tomorrow the result will be declared and people will know who will be in the power.
The BJP may return back with a landslide victory or may be left with no choice to form a government with the support of other political parties which are partners of the NDA Alliance. It depends on the number of seats they secure in the election, which is all set to declare on March 10.
