Worrying times for the Congress : Looking at the Delhi effect
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: October 15 2016 -
The Congress must be worried.
Sure four erstwhile MLAs of the Trinamool Congress have gone into their fold, but it says something significant that three Congress MLAs have already quit the party and while Y Erabot has joined the BJP, it is highly likely that the other two, N Biren and Francis Ngajokpa, too will follow suit.
Remember it is not only the figure that has to be counted, but also the fact that the three ditched the Congress which is there in power for the third consecutive term.
Others may join the Congress and it may not say much but leaving the Congress at this point of time and joining the BJP will surely be seen as something more than MLAs switching sides.
This is all that more so given that the State Assembly is poised to go in for polls in the early part of next year. To the keen political watchers, the new development may not come as such a big surprise for remember the political equation in the State has always been dictated by what happens at Delhi.
Remember how the BJP managed to pull the rug from the feet of the Radhabinod Koijam Government in the summer of 2001 when the BJP headed the NDA Government at Delhi.
This is but just one instance that comes to mind. Significantly the BJP has managed to make inroads into the North East unseating the Congress in the Assam Assembly election held some time back and now comes the latest information that the BJP has now become part of the coalition Government under the People’s Party of Arunachal Pradesh at Itanagar.
The development in these two States is sure to have an impact on Manipur and clearly the Congress must be worried.
How it goes about to neutralise the BJP juggernaut, as seen in the Assembly elections in other States, remains to be seen and this is what will make the coming Assembly election all that more interesting.
In the hills too, especially in the Naga dominated district, the BJP seems to be making inroads while the Congress MLAs stand ex-communicated in Ukhrul district with the Tangkhul Naga Long leading the boycott call.
Even the proposed visit of the Chief Minister to Ukhrul to inaugurate the 100 bedded district hospital, SBI bank, 132/33 and 33/11 sub-stations has been boycotted by the Tangkhul Naga Long.
In Churachandpur too the Congress is on slippery ground, particularly after the Assembly passed the three Bills on August 31 last year.
The political equation is such that the loss of the Congress is bound to be seen as a gain for the BJP and vice versa.
Still early to read the election tea leaves, but the coming days will be interesting in more ways than one and the focus of the people will surely be on these two political parties.
The others will not be much more than side players.
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