Not to forget other political parties... Sharmila’s party is also in the fray
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 01 2017 -

Not surprisingly the focus has been on the BJP and the Congress and a look at the daily newspapers published from Imphal will definitely testify this.

And it is not without reason.

In power for the last fifteen years and seemingly placed to extract all possible advantages from the sharp polarisation of the people, especially in the face of the continuing economic blockade imposed by the United Naga Council since midnight of October 31 last year, the Congress has obviously been grabbing prime space in all the newspapers published from Imphal as well as the local TV channels.

On the other hand, the BJP too has been occupying a prominent space in the media, giving it back word for word to the Congress and is well placed to take the fight to the oldest political party in the country.

One in power at New Delhi after a stupendous showing in the Lok Sabha elections of 2014 and the other in power for the third consecutive term in the State.

A more than enough indication that other political parties have failed to grab the attention of the people and the voters and are more than content to play second fiddle to the two principal political parties in the country.

So it will be a fight between the Congress and the BJP but there is still one political party which seems intent on making a difference to the voting culture of the land and the people.

Irom Sharmila Chanu is a well known personality and while the media here have never fallen short in giving her prime space, the same cannot be said about her entry to electoral politics and the political party which she has founded, Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance.

Tough to say how many candidates PRJA intends to field in the coming Assembly elections, but three have already announced that they will be contesting.

Apart from Sharmila who intends to contest from the home turf of Chief Minister O Ibobi at Thoubal Assembly Constituency, Sharmila is also set to contest from her home Constituency, Khurai AC.

Other than her, there are Erendro Leichombam who has announced that he will be contesting from Thangmeiband Assembly Constituency and Phundreimayum Najima who intends to fight from Wabagai Assembly Constituency.

Difficult to say how PRJA will perform in the election, but it is refreshing to see the manner in which it has gone about financing its campaigning.

Ask for donations from the public to help the party meet the election expenditure and this is a welcome departure from the political culture where money power and muscle power have been used extensively by others.

So instead of candidates seeking to buy votes from the voters, what is seen here is the public donating to help the party and the candidate meet the election expenditure.

It is unfortunate that this has not been highlighted well enough by the media here.