Irabot didn't get even a penny of what he deserved: What is wrong with him?

Dayanidhi Huidrom *

Irabot peeping through a hole in the wall to see if there is kerosene/LPG in a godown at Kangpokpi on May 31 2010 :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

According to so-called intellectuals of the state, Ibobi is no longer a deserving leader. He is too much bent to Thoubal. He doesn't have the vision. His biggest pitfall might be his 'contractor' mentality. He embraces corruption to his heart. The biggest proof of his lack of vision: in the last 10 years of his rule, he has done nothing concrete to earn significant revenue. We are compelled to depend on central fund. Ibobi mantra: beg more and you get richer.

But he wins! 3rd time in a row. Why? Politics speaks a different language. He understands that language. He succeeded in disconnecting politics and development. Others lost because they were not able to connect these two and, at the same time, they don't have moral standings to connect.

Of all the political leaders, Yumkham Irabot is one man we can reckon with and also a formidable force against Ibobi. The proof: Ibobi brought his nephew to Mantripukhri from Thoubal and declare an open war against Irabot. We are desperately looking for a tall-selfless-thoughtful leader who could replace Ibobi and also who can take Manipur forward. Irabot fits many boots but miss many important ones. Let's have a look.

A working president of an important political party told me in a conversation that "he is the only guy who do not spend money and win election". Even when you asked the same question to a voter in his constituency, you may have the same answer. Apart from his sincerity, his big bonus point is approachability.

If you have any problems, just bang his doors. He will always come to rescue. He is always there for you whether he wins election or not. He is fearless.

In an occasion when a militant group demanded hefty money from a sports body, he openly scolded them. That's Irabot. Our perception and understanding might not be his true mirror image but certainly he is a class above.

When he was Food and Civil supplies minister, he single-handedly pulled goods laden trucks through national highway 52 at the time even the police could not dare so. That was also the time, economic blockade hit the state. When he came back, he was welcome with sea of garlands. He did what people want but not necessarily to his party or govt wish. He was hailed as a saviour of Manipur. It was from this point of time that the crack already developed between him and Ibobi got widened.

We trust him. But do we fully embrace him?

Irabot has loopholes in two major fronts. 1) He is a lone soldier within the party 2) His mass support is still not solid.

He has no/ few friends in his own political circle – Congress party. He is charismatic but not enough to pull the dissidents together. More senior neutral leader like Devendro has been pampered by Ibobi and there was an speculation that he was purchased when Ibobi govt was in bad shape in his 2nd term. With Devendro on the side of Ibobi, Irabot is in no position to create a power axis. He himself told in a newspaper that the cabinet post he had was given by the centre but not by Ibobi.

This indicated hallowness in his party circuit. With diminishing support base, he was only marginalised. With no friends within what can he expect! But the bigger question is: Why is he such an indifferent face in his own party? It looks obvious that with all powers being converged to Ibobi, all MLAs try to near to him to garner their own benefits.

Ibobi also shrewdly buffers dissidence by rotating ministerial posts to his majority of his loyalists. Ultimately, the voice of one man army like Irabot becomes less and less important. I think Irabot's helplessness was reflected in UPA's 3rd inning – not a single word uttered since he was not in the list of ministers.

Though he is in politics for decades, it seems he has not learnt enough. His feud with Ibobi seems to have darkened his political wisdom. He did some stunts and people praised him. But what is his stand on Naga , Kuki issues? What is his policy on AFSPA and insurgency? What kind of relations he intends to keep with Burma? On how he viewed corruption and his ways to tackle it? He did no major administrative reforms in his erstwhile ministries. I believe, given his stature, he has the potential to become a mass leader. The instruments he had were not suitably utilised.

There is a tendency in the state that only when you are minister / MLA, you can work for people. This glass ceiling must be broken to connect with people. With people with you, you always have power. We are desperately in need of mass leader cutting across community lines. Perhaps, we need a re-engineered Irabot or a 2nd generation Jananeta Irabot.