Hiyanglam by-poll was contest for money power: MPP
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 19 2014:
Days after Hiyanglam by-election ended peacefully with a massive voter turnout on October 17, Manipur People's Party (MPP) has categorically stated that the election would be won by the party which had invested huge amount of money for wooing voters.
Addressing a press meet here at its office, Sovakiran, president of MPP said that the crucial by-election saw a close contest between Congress, BJP and Trinamool Congress party and pointed out that the party had received reliable information that many voters received not less than Rs 3000 from some influential political parties asking them to vote to their candidates.
He contended that even Congress party had dispatched its two MLAs to each polling booth in the election to ensure that the party gets maximum votes in the polling booths.
Instead of focusing on restoration of national Highways which are in deplorable condition, the Congress party shown keen interest in the election, he added.
Conceding that position of regional parties in most of the States excluding Manipur has been strengthened in recent years with many of its candidates winning elections comprehensively, he asserted that MPP would discuss with political experts to secure its winning position in the next Assembly Election in 2017 .
N Ojit, vice-president of MPP who was also present at the meet expressed deep concern on the unwarranted reports that voters were bribed by some political parties in the just concluded by-election which is against the guidelines of Election Commission of India and urged the commission to intervene into the matter to verify that the election was held in a free and fair manner.
Saying that the recent racial attacks on people hailing from northeast in major cities of the country is a serious matter which needs to be dealt promptly, he demanded the government to exert pressure on the Central Government for ensuring that such incidents do not take place in future.