Imphal, April 19 2009: Bashing of rival candidates and levelling incompetency charges against the SPF coalition dominated MPP's election campaign for the MDA nominee Th Chaoba on the penultimate day of campaigning for the inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency election at Kwakeithel Bazar today.

Campaigning for the second phase election will end tomorrow afternoon.

Addressing the gathering at a public meeting held at Kwakeithel this afternoon, MPP legislator RK Anand alleged both the Congress and CPI of surrendering Manipur to the NSCN (IM) .

Contending that State administration has collapsed on all fronts under the joint stint of the Congress party and CPI, RK Anand said the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh himself citing ignorance with regard to reports of the NSCN (IM) setting up camps in hill areas in violation of ceasefire ground rules is a clear testimony of the SPF coalition's incompetency.

Inability to act against activities of the rebel group, curbing freedom of the press, journalists working under duress and indifferent attitude of the SPF Government with regard to gunning down of a journalist that had been creating insecure working environment to the scribes do not merit either re-election of the Congress candidate or mandate for the CPI nominee, he expressed.

Insisting that the SPF Government should own responsibility for the ever increasing cases of killing including innocent civilians falling prey to the gun culture, the Naoriya Pakhanglakpa AC representative contended that with neither of the coalition partners willing to apologise to the people the ensuing election is the right opportunity to teach a befitting lesson.

He also said manipur under the Congress-CPI rule had been enduring deaths that far exceeds victims of AIDS to further substantiate accusations of failure of the Government to mitigate the people's woes.

Turning the tirade against the CPI candidate, the MLA opined that with dr M Nara not even enlisted in the electoral roll for the inner Parliamentary election his (Dr Nara) decision to contest the poll is an eyewash and taking the urban people for a ride.

On the otherhand, Congress nominee Dr T Meinya has been accused of betraying regional sentiment and joining the Congress party with the sole intention of political patronage and to further self interest.

He also charged Dr Meinya of abandoning the cause of manipur and concentrating in the promotion of the Congress party's family politics.

For the betterment of Manipur give Th Chaoba a chance, RK Anand pleaded.

Speaking at the meeting, MPP finance secretary RK Siva questioned commitment of the Congress-led Government for the socio-economic welfare of the State and in the same zeal accused the CPI of undermining Hijam Irabot's contribution to Manipur through the political organisation's adoption of the patriotic song penned by the pioneer figure.

In his address, MLA O Joy called upon the people to exercise their franchise in signalling end of the Congress regime while appealing for electing Th Chaoba to serve the people.

Comment