Call for only BJP Govt ahead of by polls : BJP versus Cong versus NPP
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: September 16 2020 -

BJP versus Congress. This is the main draw that will attract the attention of the people when by polls are held to the vacant Assembly seats.

What however will add that extra dash of taste to the by election is the question of how the BJP squares off with its colleague in Government the NPP.

Making things all that more interesting is what leaders of the BJP and the NPP have had to say a few days back and the script seems ready for a colourful by election, with all its flavour and aroma.

No hitting below the belt yet but already a push seems to have been given to the scheduled by elections and this is what promises to make it all that more interesting.

How will the BJP square it off with the NPP when election day comes or more particularly in the run up to the by elections is the question.

Chief Minister N Biren did not say it bluntly, but in reaching out to the people of Wangjing Tentha Assembly Constituency while kicking off the election campaign of BJP candidate Paonam Brojen on September 9, the Chief Minister did talk about the need to ensure a BJP only Government for stability and topped this off by observing that difference of opinions and principles between the coalition partners consisting of the BJP, NPP, NPF, Trinamool Congress and the LJP have at times threatened the coalition Government.

No hitting out but implicitly put and the message of the Chief Minister would not have been lost on anyone.

This is the beauty of coalition Governments and in many ways the Chief Minister did convey the message that the BJP would like to go on its own without having to get bogged down by the demands of coalition partners and a win in at least 6 or 7 out of the 13 vacant Assembly Constituencies can certainly go a long way in helping the BJP ride on its own.

The NPP on the other hand has not come close to what the Chief Minister and obviously the star campaigner of the BJP has had to say, but it is significant to note that its president Conrad Sangma has gone on record to inform the media that the NPP will field candidates in the coming by elections.

Not yet clear in how many seats the NPP would be fielding its candidates, but Conrad Sangma was candid enough to inform that the party would put up candidates in most of the vacant seats.

How many seats is best left for time to tell, but here it is more than clear that no seat sharing (out of the 13 vacant seats) arrangements have been made and this is where it piques the interests of everyone.

Two partners in the fray plus the Congress and surely the BJP will have a fight on its hand and how it manages to walk the tight rope will be ‘educative’ to watch.

The squabble or fight between the four NPP MLAs and the BJP seems to have been settled for the time being, but there is every chance of the remnants of that ‘fight’ emerging to hurt either partner.

This is an opportunity which the Congress will not waste and how it capitalises on such a possibility may perhaps have a say in the final outcome of the by elections.

It is also significant to note that the North East India Development Party (NEIDP) has urged the Election Commission of India to ensure a foolproof SOP to ensure the safety of the voters ahead of the by elections.