Nearly one year in office : Meaningful slogans
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 19 2018 -
In a few days time from now, March 15 to be precise, the BJP led Government would have completed one full year in office.
If not for the petition filed by the Congress against the Manipur Parliamentary Secretary Act in the High Court of Manipur, one can well imagine how the BJP led Government would have heralded the completion of one full year in office, but this does not take away the importance of completing one full year in office.
This is all that more significant given the fact that for 15 years, the State was under the Congress and a change is what a good number of people had wanted to see after the election to the State Assembly last year.
Change, the people certainly did see, as the BJP managed to cobble up a coalition Government, taking the NPP and the NPF on board and some Congress MLAs who switched sides to the BJP front after the election.
The lone MLA from AITC also joined the ruling front and so did the Independent MLA from Jiribam Assembly Constituency.
This was how the BJP with 21 MLAs managed to cobble up the coalition Government and stake claim to form the Government.
A case of the ‘second best’ emerging ‘the first best’ by reaching out to other political parties.
Now nearly 365 days down the line and what is there for the BJP led Government to look back with satisfaction ?
This question is important for remember one year is a significant milestone and the first anniversary is always important.
As mentioned earlier, if not for the move initiated by the Congress against the appointment of 12 Parliamentary Secretaries, the first year in office would have passed off without a hitch to the Government.
‘Go to the Hills,’ Meeyamgi Numit,’ ‘Hill Leaders’ Day’ etc and the intention of Chief Minister N Biren to tread a path not taken by the earlier Congress Government in its 15 years in power is palpable.
No longer the ‘communal Government of Manipur’ and it has to be granted that the BJP led Government has managed to reach out to the hills significantly, best exemplified by the truce inked with the Churachandpur JAC which had been on the warpath since August 31, 2015 after the State Assembly passed three Bills to restrict the flow of non-local people into the State.
The other was obviously getting the indefinite economic blockade imposed by the UNC lifted after it was imposed against the decision of the then Congress Government to create seven new districts, particularly Kangpokpi district and Jiribam district.
The opening of the anti-corruption cell is another significant step that the new Government has taken up and one hopes all the initiatives taken up do not get reduced to an exercise of playing to the gallery.
Significantly reaching out to the hills and putting some visibly different approach to the many issues besetting the State and the question that remains is whether the BJP led Government will be able to deliver the goods the immense feel good factor has managed to generate.
Early days yet, but the expectations of the people are high and this is where the BJP led Government will need to ensure that all the measures it has taken up are not seen to be an exercise to earn some brownie points.
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