IMC Election Fever: ILP, ST burning issues; AFSPA off the radar
- Imphal Times Editorial :: May 17 2016 -

The Battle line is clearly drawn now. It is once again the resurgent BJP pitted against the battle hardened Congress.

Some even likened this upcoming election of the Imphal Municipal Corporation to the semi-final bout of the 2017 general election.

Election for the 27 wards of IMC will go on poll on June 2. Filing of nominations will close tomorrow. Both the congress party and the BJP are equally strong in this local body election.

This is stated because Congress is ruling the state with absolute majority in the state assembly and BJP on the other hand is leading the government at the center with absolute majority.

The contenders could not have been any other. Clearly, it is the Congress and the BJP in the two opposing corners of this ensuing political bout.

As for the congress, the party is fielding candidates in all the 27 wards, similarly the BJP is also fielding candidates in all the wards.

As for the BJP the party is having problem announcing the name of the candidate for ward No. 3 in Thangmeiband Assembly constituency. No matter a solution will be sorted out soon and before the closing of the nomination filing the BJP is expected to finalise its candidate.

With the notification, election fever has once more spread across the state.

This IMC election is getting tougher, the ruling congress party which is having absolute majority in the 60 member Manipur State Legislative Assembly house has to spend more energy and efforts than ever before.

Election is mandatory and essential for a democratic country like India.

It is during election time that most of the crucial issues are put up and some of the political party even put some of the issues as their election manifesto, whether they fulfilled whatever was promised or not.

For sure, some of the star campaigners of both the congress and the BJP will bring up the hot issue about the ILPS, some may go for the ST demand issue.

But one thing sure: neither of the two parties will put the issue of AFSPA and fake encounter case in their manifestoes- the glaringly undeniable reason being that both the national parties have little interest to the protracted issue of Manipur. Their larger interest is getting more candidates.

The candidates and the star campaigners will go all out to make their candidates win more seats and the mechanism will be on how tactful they are in buying the voters.

It is for sure the election campaign will reach its peak in the coming days and subsequently the burning issues of the state which disrupted the normal life of many people including complete shutdown of educational institutions will be dissected, discussed and judged.

As for the Okram Ibobi Singh- led administration, this is a sign of relief- a much needed and timely distraction.

All those hue and cries will vanish as IMC election reaches its fevered pitch.