Choosing the right candidate : Key to BJP, Congress
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: March 14 2019 -

Choosing the right man. This is the key to both the BJP and the Congress and the candidates they choose to field in the coming Lok Sabha elections will be central to the outcome of both parties.

It is the same with the other political parties and notably the CPI has already announced the name of Dr M Nara as its man in the Inner Parliamentary Constituency while Janata Dal (United) has named Hangkhanpau Taithul as its man in the Outer Parliamentary Constituency.

The NPP too has named Kaipu in the Outer Parliamentary seat.

Interesting it is, but what is watched with interest is the choice of candidates of both the BJP and the Congress, thereby underlining the point that the LS polls in Manipur too will be a fight between the two principal political parties.

It will also be interesting to see who the NPF decides to field for here is a party which has a lot of reach and influence in the Naga dominated districts of Manipur.

Notably the Congress has gone public with the names of those seeking the party’s ticket and while seven have lined up for the party’s ticket in the Outer Parliamentary Constituency there are nine seeking the party’s blessings in the Inner seat.

The BJP on the other hand has not spelt out the names of those seeking the party’s ticket, but the grapevine says that 11 individuals are seeking the party’s ticket in the Outer seat while there are 15 in the Inner.

As the final decision on who gets the party’s ticket lies with the Central leadership of the two parties, attention of the intending candidates must have shifted beyond Manipur.

It is along this line that Chief Minister N Biren left for Guwahati on March 12 for a meeting scheduled there while State BJP president and Rajya Sabha MP K Bhabananda is also reportedly scheduled to attend the Guwahati meeting.

On the other hand, former Chief Minister O Ibobi and member of the Congress Working Committee and former Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam are set to attend a meeting convened by the AICC at New Delhi on March 12.

The race for the ticket of the two principal political parties is understood and poll fever will pick up once the BJP and the Congress announce their candidates for the two LS seats here.

As pointed out here, the right choice will certainly go a long way in winning the trust and confidence of the people.

Will the Congress and the BJP go with the tried and tested or will it seek to find some fresh faces who have already made a name for themselves in their chosen field ?

This is a question which the top leadership of the two political parties should seriously study.

For Manipur, the need of the hour is to send representatives who can highlight the State on the floor of the Lok Sabha effectively.

A look at the profile of the intending candidates should say a lot about their capabilities. The right candidate will hold the key. This is an observation which should not blow over the heads of the top leadership of the BJP and the Congress.