Presidential polls: State Trinamool Congress awaits Mamata's word
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 25 2012: With Trinamool Congress (TC) supremo Mamata Banerjee's first choice APJ Abdul Kalam turning his back to the Presidential poll, the state unit party in Manipur is awaiting a formal directive from her on whom to back as their choice for President.

TC, which is the second single largest party in the State Assembly with seven MLAs after the Congress, is one of the key members of the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA), the Opposition front of eleven non-Congress parties set up ahead of the recently held election.

"Since ours is a National party, we cannot take any independent decision on the ensuing presidential election which is also a National issue.

We have to wait for the directives from our central high command specially from Mamataji ," Manipur unit TC president Kim Gangte and former Lok Sabha MP said.

She nevertheless said the party's Central leaders have so far not given any specific information to her on the presidential election scheduled to be held on July 19 .

Kim Gangte

Gangte said the State unit party has begun discussing various issues including the Presidential polls and other issues concerning Manipur like steep price hike, abysmal power sector, deteriorating road communication and the grave law and order situation.

"Since we are sitting on the Opposition bench in the State Assembly, we are putting these issues besetting Manipur for redressal in the ensuing Manipur Budget session beginning Wednesday," said Gangte.

Kim Gangte, who is also one of the six members of the Railways passenger services committee, a National level body to supervise railway systems, said the party would also raise the Loitam Richard and Okram Laaba's murder cases in the House.

Despite the people's growing demand to hand over Richard's case to the CBI, the State Government has not taken up any concrete steps towards it, she lamented.

On being asked, she said the party is likely to contest both the Inner and Outer Parliamentary seats in the 2014 Parliamentary polls.

Regional political parties based in the North East, including the Asom Gana Parishad of Assam and the Mizo National Front of Mizoram have decided to support PA Sangma.