Political journey of Ibobi: So far, so good
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: March 16, 2012 -

Okram Ibobi Singh swearing-in-ceremony as CM of Manipur on March 14 2012 :: Pix - Bullu Raj

It has been an incredible journey for the man from Thoubal Athokpam Makha Leikai in proving his critics wrong and retaining the hot seat of Chief Minister of Manipur for the third consecutive term. Born on July 19, 1948 to Okram Angoubi Singh and Lukamani Devi, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh started his political career in the 1984 State Assembly elections winning the Khangabok seat as an Independent candidate.

Subsequently, he joined the ruling Congress and as an elected member to the fourth Manipur Legislative Assembly, Ibobi was made the chairman of Manipur State Khadi and Village Industries Board from November 1985 to January 1988.

In the elections to the fifth Manipur Legislative Assembly in 1990, Ibobi contested on Congress ticket and retained his Khangabok seat and was inducted in the then RK Dorendro-led Congress Ministry as Minister of Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD).

When the Rishang Keishing-led Congress Ministry came to power after a stint of President's Rule from December 31, 1993 to December 13, 1994, Ibobi was also made the Minister in charge of Industries for the period from 1994-95.

A staunch supporter of Congress ideology, Ibobi was appointed as the President of Manipur Pradesh Congress Party (MPCC) on December 10, 1999 and went on to become the Chief Minister of Manipur after being re-elected to the State Assembly in 2002 from Khangabok Assembly Constituency.

It was in the 2007 Assembly elections that Ibobi gave up his Khangabok seat in favour of his wife Landhoni and shifted his base to Thoubal Constituency, which he continues to represent in his third term as the Chief Minister.

In a politically volatile state like Manipur, where governments have rarely lasted their full terms, it is no mean achievement to clobber up victories three times in a row.

With this, Ibobi has joined the rank of Congress Chief Ministers Sheila Dikshit in Delhi and Tarun Gogoi in Assam, who led their party to victory for three consecutive terms in Assembly polls.

What is even more interesting in case of Ibobi is that he has managed to sale through the electoral battle with absolute majority in the face of repeated public outrage over extra-judicial killings, crippling economic blockades and acute economic hardships for the people, mounting pressures from the Opposition and threats from UG groups.

In fact, the political career of Ibobi had been almost written off in the run up to the elections to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly.

But taking everyone by surprise, Ibobi silenced all his critics and led his party to a thumping victory winning 42 seats in the 60-member Assembly, which is a rose from 30 seats in the last Assembly polls in 2007 and scripted a history in the electoral politics of Manipur becoming the first person to be sworn in as the Chief Minister of the state for the record third consecutive term.

Among other factors, a fractured Opposition may have worked wonder for Ibobi and his party, but a billion dollar question still remains haunting the mind of political skeptics - Is it just a simple case of third time lucky or true political acumen and statesmanship? Only time will tell.