The conundrum behind ADC Election 2015

Francis Anal *

Polling at Sandang Senba Maring, Sadar Hills for ADC election on June 1 2015 :: Pix - Bishwarjit Taorem

They say in war and love everything is fair. However in politics, more often so in electoral politics nothing is fair. This very fact can be summed up taking into account the election system or to be precise the selection methods of autonomous district council elections in Manipur. This article intends to bring to the fore some of the hard facts that concerns the ADC elections. Election in Manipur is interesting for varying reasons. For one it is indeed hard to say whether there is any component of democratic ideals playing a part in the electoral system of the state. This article will try to divulge some intriguing conundrum that mired the ADC election 2015, though it is just smithereens of the whole episode.

Enough has been said and heard. Many have won the so called election. How they won is all together a different questions and that will definitely raise many eyebrows in aghast. To be fair, ours is a system where there is no system. Those who rule decide how the game is played. To the world Manipur is just a small tiny hamlet however to us the world means nothing. Ours is a land where diversity is so high that we have more than thirty different tribes. All the tribe seems to have their own parallel govt.:- the so called freedom fighter, yes I say again freedom fighters. Freedom from what, the answer still eludes me and many free thinking man alike. It reminds me of a line I read somewhere written by a Greek thinker.......

"They said freedom will they bring. I ponder what form of freedom But alas! I want freedom from them For they took my freedom away"

This is indeed true all the more for a state like Manipur. Every tribe has their own group on the pretext that they will protect the interest of their community. Protect against whom? They are literally bleeding the society by imposing every possible tax from all the sources known on earth. The income is in turn is use to feed and store up riches to an unspeakable degree for their family and themselves. They put their kids away in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. I see no good things done by any of these groups.

Let's talk about the ADC elections. For starters there are six ADCs in Manipur. The elections for which have been completed recently. The govt have been form in four of them after much melee. Two of the district still lingers in wait for the reason known to all thinking man. Let's talk about the first at first. The major intending groups these time as always were the NSCN(IM), KNA, UKLF, KNF etc. NSCN take control of most of the Naga inhabited area and took utmost initiative to let NPF excel above all in the fray. Many crimes committed. Many threatened. Some even killed in cold blood. The congress candidates were threatened with hard consequences.

In short the NSCN pull up all the available means and power so that they take control of the chairmanship in the district where Nagas are ip majority. On one hand, it's a known fact that politics is game about ^fining. In this discourse they have gone some miles wrong in the sense that they ignored the fact that every candidate has their every right to contest and chart out modalities to win the fray like the one contesting on NPF tickets. Per se, suppressing the candidates was not very political and democratic to say the least.

On the other hand the Kuki UGs have also their own role to play, in fact this time they played the game so beastly that we are confounded by the dilemma whether these leaders are at all human or beast in reality. It appears that the heinous crime committed by them were worst this time around. For instance, the KNA group has their jurisdiction in some part of churachandpur, part of kuki area of Ukhrul, Saikul and the Moreh block in Chandel district. They played utmost dirty politics too apparently in constituencies where they have some control and they played it too bluntly and cheaply that they started losing the little respect they once had. In constituencies like Henglep, Tuibong and Kholmun where KNA has the power albeit without public consent, in fact the public loathe them like leech for they are known for their sucking nature of extraction in exacting terms. In these blocks they collected huge sum of amount from candidates on the promise that they would be supported and lifted as uncontested winner.

However, when the Election Day comes there was full fledged election and people expresses their franchise and these candidates who have deposited huge amount to the KNA all lost their deposit. The funny part is the KNA did not even refund a single penny. Yes you heard it not even a single penny to the depositors. Is this bizarre? No it is not. This is in fact the modus operandi of the KNA when it comes to haul out pelf in a cheap manner. I will substantiate more. The story does not end yet, the KNA is in control of five other constituencies in Moreh side namely Moreh A,B,C, sibong 14 and Sita constituency. It appears that the game played by KNA in these block were so obnoxious and abhorrent this time around. They collected one lakh each from all the intending candidates as fees. So they got 14 lacs in one single shot.

Perhaps this might be the highest electoral deposit known in the history of the whole world. They announced that any candidates who could get the ticket of INC would be the uncontested winners. This is interesting for the feet that when everyone is running to get in close link with the BJP now the KNA is doing the opposite. It has some good reasons that come along with it. It is said that the Ex-chairman of Chandel ADC is in close link with the top brass of KNA. He is the case machine for the group and as this man does not favour BJP the KNA finally decides to support INC so that their financial link is kept alive. The story continues. It still baffles me and many more as to who actually gave them the power to select these candidates and on what parameters these souls are being selected. Most of these candidates who got selected from these five blocks are known to have many dark blots on their credentials. By the way that is a different story altogether and we shall write about it someday later.

And now though the govt failed miserably to keep the dateline of June 17th to complete all formalities, notwithstanding the four ADCs have finally constituted barring Chandel and Tamenglong ADCs. There are still some baffling questions lingering. One, why such a delay? The only reason we see is that the congress fails to win enough seats to form the govt in all the ADCs save sadar hills ADC. Two, if the four ADCs viz churachandpur, ukhrul, senapati and sadar hills are given the consent to constitute the govt then why Chandel and tamenglong were selectively left out? If we peruse closely at the number there is a sinister politics at play here.

In Tamenglong ADC the INC won 10 and NPF 8. All the independent winners were more or less willing to part with NPF for whatever reasons, if that happens NPF has the chance of govt formation and admittedly they have claim the majority more times than one but the govt is not willing to relent as it patiently wait till things turn in favour of fjyc. In Chandel the situation is even graver.

Here the NPF has 13 members and INC camp has 11. The govt keep the formation in abeyance for it appears to the govt. that there is a high prospect of INC to claim the majority with the nominated members and making the number up to 13 which is in fact a tie however it's the congress govt at the state so they decide the rule of the game and it is obvious that the rule is bend as they always has. But there is also report that one candidate of Lamkang tribe who won as independent candidate is likely joining the NPF camp anytime soon. Hitherto, this candidate is a part of the congress camp so if that materialize then the chance of INC claiming govt will remain a mere dream.

Amidst this din a congress candidate from Tolbung constituency have somersault and ditch the congress again on the reason that he is not in favour of the congress choice of chairman. Meanwhile the congress again fielded the ex chairman. Mention may be made that two INC candidates have betrayed congress on the same reason of disliking the exchairman of Chandel ADC. As things stand, the NPF seems to be having the simple majority to form the govt. and it needs to be seen how the govt. delay the formation again. Time will tell how things turn around.

Taking all things into account it appears too apparently that the govt is also in connivance with some UGs in order to gain the political Brownie point. Deputy CM in more times than one has stated that the INC candidates are being served with threats. However he failed to realise that the KNA supported them blatantly by putting a blanket ban on any other candidates than INC from contesting in some constituencies. How would the deputyCM explain this sordid tale? As a matter of fact those candidates winning uncontested from Moteh side and sadar hills are indeed a blot to the society.

Meanwhile there are 5 candidates from moreh side and two, if memory serves me correctly from sadar hills who won without any election. It is a shame on them and the people who lifted them up for they are made the ADC members not due to public choice but rather the vested interest of some idiotic crap who called themselves as leaders. For that matter the present chairman of sadar hills and ex chairman of Chandel ADC falls into this category. If they are really willing to serve public I urge all these uncontested members to pass through electoral combats. If they all win again should election occur in their respective constituencies then perhaps the mighty sun might have to set its course anew and rise from the west.

To the govt and the leaders of the so called UGs, it is the public advice that the time is ripe for a change. Our society is getting more literate day by day. Govt. and leaders are failing. Tolerance is waning. Even the mighty Saddam Hussain was slain brutally. Bin laden the leader was butchered. Greed for money has its limits. If we go around and see, all the palace type houses that looks alike with 5 star hotel belongs to none other than politicians and UG leaders. Where from the money? The public is bleeding with silent cry. While you dream under that splendid roof you may want to remember that history has a nature of reversal. Before the public uprising occur and struck you to smithereens please make amend to the modus operandi of the way how you deal with the society. Without earning you drive all the SUVs and sleep in AC rooms.

Kindly note money does not grow on trees and human heart hardly forgives nor forgets. All what you do will haunt you in the days that unfold. For our Creator is a just being. He will judge with utmost fairness in His own time. If this trend goes on the days are near when you will find yourself digging your own graveyard. This article might have stab you so hard that you might want to send me to gallows but had you been in the shoes of the general public like I am perhaps.that would teach you million lessons.

Life is lived once. Let us not be filled with greed and lust. Everything melts once we die. And death is certain as the greatest CEO Steve jobs once said "Death does not tell and come". As such the sting of death may strike us,anytime. On this note I beseech all the leaders to stand up and be a part of the change. Whisky is our luxury but time is not. The time to act is now for tomorrow you may be no more.