Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 04:
Asserting that voting for the Congress party in the upcoming by election would tantamount to indirectly supporting the imposition of AFSPA in the State, leaders of the Opposition Political Parties Forum have today appealed to the electorates of Konthoujam to vote for the Forum's common candidate and help teach the Cong led SPF Govt a lesson.
Speaking at the flag hoisting function of the Opposition's common candidate K Ranabir today, MPP president O Joy urged the electorates of Konthoujam Assembly Constituency to take the by election very seriously and think twice before voting for the Congress candidate.
The up-coming election will play a very crucial role in ending the deadlock over the removal of AFSPA from the State; he explained and added that the Forum has put up a common candidate in the upcoming by election to fight for the complete removal of AFSPA from the State.
Supporting or voting for the Congress candidate in the upcoming by polls will make all the sacrifices made by the meira paibis and the students over the past two/three months meaningless and useless, asserted O Joy adding that there was no reason why the Konthoujam public should vote for the Congress' candidate when the whole country is speaking out against the Congress led SPF Govt for refusing to lift the dreaded AFSPA from the State.
BJP MLA BD Behring who also spoke on the occasion urged the electorates to be cautious and to be alert against the sinister designs of the Congress workers who would be using both money as well as muscle power to capture the Konthoujam AC seat in the upcoming by poll.
Appealing to the public of Konthoujam Constituency to participate actively in the upcoming election and not fall prey to the threats made by various organizations, Behring said that the public should rise as one and vote against the Congress candidate and teach them a lesson for standing against the wishes of the people.
Asserting that it was high time for the public to teach the Congress party a lesson, DRPP working president RK Anand said that the public should not let the opportunity pass wasted.
Mention may be made here that MP Dr Meinya was elected through the DRPP ticket from the Konthoujam AC in the last general elections but later on joined the Congress party.
MLA Dr Nimaichand Luwang who also spoke stated that the Opposition political parties forum would take up the issue of removal of AFSPA from the state on the first day of the Winter Session of the State legislative Assembly and further added that voting for the Congress in the upcoming polls would send negative feelings to all the people who have been supporting the demand for repealing of AFSPA from Manipur.
Chief Minister had flatly refused to hold any Assembly session for discussing the AFSPA issue despite repeated appeals from the Forum.