Protest on the road, sup with its partners : Sleeping with the enemy ?
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 02, 2022 -

Not exactly sleeping with the enemy but comes somewhere close to it.

Else how does one explain the street demonstrations being staged at different parts of the State over their ‘man’ or ‘woman’ being overlooked by the BJP while naming its candidates while the same ‘man’ and ‘woman’ does not think twice abut joining another party which is most likely to go along with the BJP in Government formation after the Assembly election.

And despite the tall claims by all parties, indications are that Manipur will see a coalition Government after the Assembly election and the BJP may well head the coalition Government.

So even as angry supporters come out on the streets and roads of Imphal and other district headquarters to literally spite all the symbols that stand for the saffron party, many of the people on whose behalf the anger has exploded, have lined up to join political parties which are partnership with the BJP in Government, here at Imphal as well as at New Delhi.

How does one explain this dichotomy is a question that comes to mind and while there will be no easy answer here, this may close to the general impression that it is power and the accompanying perks that decide everything, forget principles.

Save for the odd one or two, not one of them have gone over to the Congress and this should underline the point that is sought to be conveyed here.

The one word that runs central to all the ‘jilted’ persons lining up for parties other than the Congress is power.

Stay near the seat of power seems to be the mantra behind all the moves made to join either the JD (U) or the NPP, the moment the BJP came out with its list of candidates.

Not surprising for power is the ultimate end game of entering the electoral fray and expending time and resources for the poll exercise, and the interesting question is how far would these candidates go on to dent the prospect of the BJP at the hustings.

This question is important in the backdrop of the fact that State BJP leaders have on more than one occasion made it clear that the saffron party will win at least 40 seats in the 60 member Assembly.

Call it the downside of being in power or the downside of there being too many, but the State BJP will seriously need to study whether the charges raised against it by some of the disgruntled protesters on the streets have any merits or not.

And the sooner the points raised by the protesters are studied sincerely, the better it would be for the saffron party in the long run.

It is also interesting to note the sudden emergence of the JD (U) as an important player and it would be more interesting to see how long the party can sustain its new found popularity.

This is also a reflection of the total failure of the Manipur People’s Party to emerge as a strong regional party which has the political sagacity and far sightedness to address the interests of the people.

A sad statement it is that today people and politicians have to make a beeline for parties based at Patna, Shillong and Kohima, while a party which has its headquarters at Imphal seems more interested in internal politics !

So even as the political parties have started issuing the lists of it candidates, this is perhaps the right time for all right thinking people of the State to study how and when the MPP started its descent into near political oblivion.

That here is a party which was once the major entity to stand against the Congress is today reduced to a footnote of its earlier days should say something profound.

The days of the one party rule may as well be over here now and this is where the need to strengthen home grown parties like the MPP is felt more and more.

Can the MPP go in for a sincere soul searching exercise ?