15th Lok Sabha Election and Candidates of BJP and Congress
- In the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency -

Dr Kh Gourachandra Singh *

With the completion of the 5 years term of the 14th Lok Sabha election process in both outer and inner constituencies of Manipur has ended for the 543 Parliamentary constituencies of India for election of MPs to form the 15th Lok Sabha in June 2, 2009. Out of 543 constituencies all over India delimitation was done in 499 constituencies.

Manipur and some other States are not included in it. Of the two constituencies of Manipur election was performed for the outer seat on 16th April, 2009. While for the inner seat, election was held on 22 June, 2009. For this political parties canvassed votes for their respective candidates. BJP and Congress also did the same.

BJP put Shri W Nipamacha Singh in the fray as candidate for the Inner seat while Congress nominated Dr T Meinya as their candidate for the said seat. The total number of voters in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency is 8,26,539. Of the 32 Assembly segments in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, the highest number of voters is at Moirang A/C with 32,699 voters while Thanga A/C has the least number of voters ie 19842 voters only. Shri W Nipamacha Singh is not a new man in Manipur Politics. But here is a brief history of his past political career.

Shri W Nipamacha was born on 30-12-1930 at Wangoi. He got MA in History from Gauhati University in 1963. He served as an asst teacher at Wangoi ME School and Johnstone Hr Secondary School. He acted as Head Master of Wangoi Hr Secondary School from 1964 to 1971. He joined politics in 1971 after resigning the teaching profession. He was in jail in connection with the demand of Statehood. He contested on INC ticket from Wangoi A/C in 1972 in the first Manipur Legislative Assembly Election but secured the second position.

In the 2nd Manipur Legislative Assembly Election in 1974 he fought on INC ticket from Wangoi A/C and won the seat by defeating Shri Rajmuhon of MPP. In those days Janata Party became popular in Delhi and Morarji Desai became the Prime Minister of India and W Nipamacha dropped Congress and became Janata Party MLA wef 3-5-1977. He became the Minister of State, Education on 16-7-1977 to 14-11-1979 under the Yangmasho Shaiza Ministry.

In the 3rd Manipur Legislative Assembly Election of 1980 he contested on Janata party ticket form Wangoi A/C but lost in the hands of Ch Rajmuhon, INC. But in the 4th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election 1984 he returned as MLA on Janata party ticket from Wangoi A/C by defeating Congress candidate Ch Rajmuhon.

In 1990's 5th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, he returned as MLA from Wangoi A/C on ICS (Indian Congress Socialist) candidate. He defeated his rival Ch Rajmuhon Singh. At that time there was National Front Government at the Centre led by VP Singh as Prime Minister (Janata Dal). In Manipur also there was United Front Government in Manipur led by RK Ranbir Singh of MPP as Chief Minister. W Nipamacha Singh was a Cabinet Minister of PHED & Planning Department from 5-3-1990 to 7-1-1992.

In the Government led by Rishang Keishing of Congress also he became Cabinet Minister of Science and Technology & Fishery Department from 10-1-1995 to 24-2-1995. After some time he joined Congress. In the 6th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election of 1995 he was elected on Congress (I) Ticket from Wangoi A/C by defeating his rival Y Mani Singh of Federal Party.

On 22nd December, 1995 he was elected Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly in the Rishang led Congress Ministry. He contested for the Speaker's post and secured 36 votes while his rival M Kumar Singh of MPP secured 23 votes. By that time the strength of the House was 59 only as no election was held for the Lamsang A/C. He wanted to be a Minister but Shri Rishang Keishing offered him the post of Speaker as his faithful colleague.

He saved the then Rishang Government by disqualifying some defected MLAs. After some time he was not agreeing with Rishang Keishing and he left Rishang Government with 23 MLAs on December 5, 1997 and formed MSCP. W Nipamacha became the first President of MSCP. There was an MSCP Government led by him w.e.f. 16th Dec., 1997.

In the 7th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election of 2000 he was elected from Wangoi A/C on MSCP ticket defeating his rival Y Mani Singh and formed MSCP led Government with him as the Chief Minister for the second time on 2 March, 2000. Because of differences among his colleagues in the MSCP he resigned the Post of C.M. on Feb 13, 2001. MSCP was in the hands of Shri Th Chaoba Singh and his group. Then on 5 October, 2001 Nipamacha founded a political party called Manipur National Conference and he became its President.

In the 8th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election of 2002, he contested from Wangoi A/C on MNC ticket but got defeated in the hands of Y Mani Singh of MSCP. On 21 June, 2005 MNC was merged with RJD and Nipamacha became President of RJD, Manipur. Then he became even National Vice-President of RJD.

In the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election of 2007, he contested for Wangoi A/C on RJD ticket but lost in the hands of S Joy Singh of NCP. He left RJD on 3 Dec., 2008 and joined BJP. He contested from the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Seat as a BJP candidate. He has visited more than 10 foreign countries.

Some of his remarkable achievements are: bringing of resolution of the Kuki-Paite conflict of Churachandpur, implementation of 5th Pay commission Revision, Opening of Directorates of MOBC, establishing of Manipur Human Rights Commission on 27th June, 1998, making Gan-ngai a State holiday, holding National Games in Manipur and cancellation of the warrant issue on Lamyanba Irabot imposed by the erstwhile Manipur Governments etc.

Right from the 8th Lok Sabha Election of 1984 BJP candidates have been fighting from the Inner Manipur Parliamentary seat. The candidates and the year in which each of them contested are given below:

Name of the Lok Sabha Election of Year	Name of Candidates	Position
8th Lok Sabha , 1984	Sh. Madhumangol Sharma	4th
9th Lok Sabha, 1989	Sh. Madhumangol Sharma	4th
10th Lok Sabha, 1991	Sh. Madhumangol Sharma	3rd
11th Lok sabha, 1996	H. Bhubon (Rtd. Col.)	4th
12th Lok Sabha, 1998	No candidate	Nil
13th Lok Sabha, 1999	No candidate	Nil
14th Lok sabha, 2004	Th. Chaoba Singh	-
15th Lok Sabha, 2009	W. Nipamacha Singh	Awaiting

In this 15th Lok Sabha Election BJP is hopeful of Nipamacha's success. This is, perhaps, because of the joining of popular leaders to the party. They have come from different political parties. They are –

Kh. Dinamani from Sekmai A/C,
L. Ibomcha ex-MLA from Keishamthong A/C,
M. Nilachandra, ex-MLA from Mayang Imphal A/C,
R.K. Dorendra, ex-CM from Yaiskul A/C,
Vivek raj Wangkhem, ex-MLA from Kshetrigao A/C – all from MPP

while S. Dhananjoy, ex-Speaker, Thongju A/C,
S. Ibohal, ex-MLA Thanga A/C,
K. Ranabira, Konthoujam A/C,
Ksh. Brajamani, Kshetrigao –

are from Samajwadi Party and
S. Natum, ex-MLA, Sagolband A/C and
K. Rajendrakumar, Naoriya Pakhanglakpa A/C are from RJD.

They were all defeated in the last 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election 2007. In the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2007 BJP put their candidates in the fray in only 10 A/Cs out of 32 A/Cs that compose the Inner Manipur Parliamentary.

The 10 A/Cs are –
Thangmeiband,
Uripok,
Singjamei,
Wangkhei,
Konthoujam,
Wangoi,
Mayang Imphal,
Wangkhem,
Khundrakpam and
Heingang.

But none of them returned. Except Thangmeiband and Wangkhei A/Cs in the other A/Cs BJP candidates got least number of votes. Though not a strong party in Manipur JDU is also supporting the BJP.

In order to know the Congress candidate Dr. T. Meinya who he was and what he was in the politics of Manipur some facts about his political career are placed hereunder: Dr. T. Meinya Singh was born on 12 October, 1945 at Moidangpok Maning Leikai, Imphal West. At present he is at Joypur Khul, Khumbong. He is M.Sc., Ph.D., LL.B. he took B.Sc. (Math, Hons.) from D.M. College and M.Sc. in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Osmania University, Hyderabad.

In 1968 he was the general secretary, Gauhati Manipur Students' Union. He was the founder General Secy., Pan-Manipur Youth League. He worked as a lecturer in D.M. College of sc. He served as Reader and Head of Department of Mathematics, Imphal College for a long time. Under his supervision Manipur University has awarded Ph.D. to one L. Iboyaima Singh. He worked as the founder President, Manipur Science Communicator's Association (MASCA), Gen. Secy., All Manipur College Teachers' Association (AMCTA) and National Executive members, All India Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisation (AIFUCTO). During the June 18, 2001 tragic incident he worked as the President of Manipur Ngamkhei Kanba Lup (MANKAL, NH-53) under UCM.

He took voluntary retirement as Reader and Head, dept. of maths., Imphal College on 5 January, 2002. He was elected MLA in the 8th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2002 on DRPP ticket from Konthoujam A/C. After sitting in the opposition bench for some time DRPP joined SPF on 5-4-2002 and supported Shri O. Ibobi Singh of Congress. Under O. Ibobi, Dr. Meinya became Minister of State (Independent Charge) on 10-12-2002. After some time he was upgraded to Cabinet Minister of Hr. & Technical Education.

On Ocotber 2, 2003 he withdrew from DRPP and joined Congress. It may be brought to the memory that Dr. T. Meinya promised by holding the DRPP symbol axe not to defect after becoming MLA in front of the Sahid Minar on 6th February, 2002 before the 8th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election. He also promised to protect territorial integrity of Manipur.

In the 14th Lok Sabha Election he contested on Congress ticket for the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency and was elected M.P. he became member of HRD- Department Related Parliamentary, standing Committee; member - Library Committee; member - Consultative Committee under External Affairs Ministry, Convener, Miscellaneous States and Union Territories under Congress Parliamentary Party; member - NEHU Court; member - executive Council, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Some of the issues raised by him in the 14th Lok Sabha are – giving pressure to the Lok Sabha to bring political resolution by having peace talk with the insurgents on 1-12-2008, urging the Lok Sabha to establish Highway Protection Force to protect National Highway -53 and 39 on 28-7-05. He gave speech in Manipuri for the second time in the Parliament on the International Language Day, 21-2-2006. He reiterated that protection of Territorial Integrity of Manipur be included in the Common Minimum Programme of UPA on 3-8-2006.

He placed in the House the pressure to repeal AFSPA as per Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee Report on 7-3-06 and 21-3-08. He also put up in the house to implement 3 tier system of Panchayat in Manipur on 4-12-06. He stood second among the MPs who attended debates in the Parliament regularly. He attended sessions in the house for 293 days.

The first position went to RJD M.P. Devendra Prasad Yadav. This is according to the House Attendance Report upto Nov., 2008 (India Today, Jan., 19, 2009) Since the first Lok Sabha Election, 1952 Congress won in the 1952, 1962, 1971, 1977, 1984, 1989, 1996 and 2004 elections for the Inner Manipur seat. At present Congress has 31 MLAs of which 19 are in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency. There are six cabinet Ministers including the Chief Minister out of a total of 12 Cabinet Ministers of Manipur Assembly. Speaker is also there in it.

In the Ninth Manipur Legislative Assembly Election Congress candidates secured large number of votes in Khurai, Kshetrigao, Andro, Lamlai, Thangmeiband, Oinam, Lilong, Kumbi A/Cs and stood second in each of these kendras while in Sekmai, Patsoi, Naoriya Pakhanglakpa A/Cs they stood 3rd. Congress stood 4th in the Wangoi A/C while it was 5th in the Langthabal A/C. For all these reasons Congress is hopeful of Dr. T. Meinya's success in this election.

BJP and Congress cannot lightly take MPP's Th. Chaoba and CPI's Dr. Nara although there are altogether seven candidates. There are five MLAs of MPP in Inner Ma-nipur seat and in the other A/Cs their strength is great. Th. Chaoba was elected MP for three times and became even Union Minister. MPP is supported at present by MSCP, NCP and NPP.

There are three MLAs in the inner Manipur Seat while MSCP and NPP also have some vote banks in the inner seat. So MPP is hopeful for the success of Th. Chaoba while CPI also has three MLAs in the Inner Manipur Seat and they are strong in 13 A/Cs of the Seat. CPI (M), RSP, AIFB and JD (S) are supporting CPI though these parties are not so strong in Manipur.

But CPI claims that Dr. Nara has links with people of every section and connections with many organizations and associations and that Dr. Nara will win. While there is a Congress govt in Manipur and if Dr. Meinya is not elected, the future of O. Ibobi may be something not enviable. This election will be a litmus test of Shri O. Ibobi. Since 1984 (8th Lok Sabha Election) the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Seat has been occupied by the ruling party till now.

But the fate of the 7 candidates for the Inner Manipur Seat will be decided by the 8,26,539 votes on 22nd April, 2009. Let's see who wins. Anyway on 16 May, 2009 everything will be clear. Let's see also whether voters cast their votes on party lines or personality of candidates or base on issues. Let us also see who from among W. Nipamacha, Dr. T. Meinya, Dr. M. Nara and Th. Chaoba come out as the winner.

---

* Dr Kh Gourachandra Singh wrote this article for The Sangai Express . This article was written before the Lok Sabha election 2009 (22nd April) . This article was webcasted on April 26th, 2009.

---