The final reckoning
- Imphal Times Editorial :: December 10 2016 -

The greatest mistake any political party can make is to take the mandate of the people for granted, or so it seemed.

Turns out that more than the making of the mistake, it is the inability or failure to learn from it.

The result is unmistakably clear for everyone to see- the Congress party committing the greatest folly in failing to learn from the mistakes of the UPA-2 government under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of the Indian National Congress which for the majority of people in India, is indeed arguably the most corrupt regime post Independence with the sheer number of scams and scandals, terrible inflation, internal and border security problems made all the more prominent in no small measure by the anti-corruption movement headed by Anna Hazare stirring up the masses across the nation and thereby starting what can loosely be described as a precursor to the citizens standing up to wrongdoings which were for most part till then looking the other way.

On the other hand, after the golden run of the BJP in 2014, the year 2015 turned out to be a time of disruptions and disappointments as manifested in the rout in Delhi and the dismal show in Bihar.

Narendra Modi, with his personal charisma and political acumen along with the organizational wizardry of his most trusted aide Amit Shah wasted no time in analyzing and rectifying the mistakes which resulted in a surge of supporters across the country, and also making inroads towards the north eastern part of the country with the historic win in Assam.

The stark contrast in the alacrity and readiness to admit and address issues between the two political parties cannot have been more prominent.

Closer home, Ibobi could not have picked a worse time to end his tenure had he so wished. Like a collapsing house of cards, elected representatives under his leadership have increasingly switched loyalty, and the trend is expected to continue at an increased pace.

The society is on the verge of being bifurcated irreparably along ethnic and communal lines, and the continued stranglehold on the people of the state by a group espousing the contrived misnomer of a contiguous homeland of a single community has tried the patience of the generally docile and laidback public to breaking point.

These unfortunate incidents are but unmistakable indications that somewhere, something is terribly wrong in the way things are governed or administered. Distractions, diversions and delays- the modus operandi considered to be the weapon of choice of the incumbent government by the general public has become obsolete and will no longer work.

If the state government can somehow muster up enough political will and desire to fight for another lease of life or redemption, there is still time to act- but act it must without the slightest of hesitation or doubt. It must take off the velvet glove with which it has been dealing the incorrigibles.

It is time to crack the whip and assert the aspirations of the people- to move towards progress and development.

Any form of deterrent should be dealt with in the most exact and decisive terms. It has to be done today.