Polls toll : Dates set, sleeves rolled up :: The issue : Million dollar question
- Sangai Express Editorial :: March 06, 2014 -

Professor Gangmumei Kamei in the Outer Parliamentary Constituency and Dr RK Ranjan in the Inner Parliamentary Constituency.

It may be sheer co-incidence but it is nevertheless interesting to see the BJP opting for two persons who are well known in the world of academics.

It would be premature to read the tea leaves now, but with the BJP practically having no grass root workers in the hill areas of Manipur, it will not be a case of Prof Kamei riding on the party’s appeal but more a case of the party riding on the reach and appeal of the good Professor.

In the Inner seat, the BJP is slightly better off, but it remains to be seen how it can match the Congress as well as the CPI.

A green horn in politics that is Dr RK Ranjan, but he is very much a public figure, having been at the forefront of many environmental campaigns.

On the other hand, Professor Kamei may be said to be an old hand in politics having contested the Assembly election for the first time as way back as 1980 when he contested from Thangmeiband Assembly Constituency narrowly losing to Radhabinod Koijam.

The defeat however did not stop his political activism founding the Federal Party of Manipur in the earlier part of the 90s.

In its debut, the FPM did well in sending two men to the Assembly in the 1995 election, with Professor Kamei winning from Nungba Assembly Constituency and Dr W Thoiba from Heingang Assembly election.

The honeymoon of the FPM with electoral politics continued with six of its candidates winning in the next election and clearly it was obvious that a regional political party had emerged, with the MPP paling in comparison. So from FPM to now the BJP and from Assembly election to now Parliamentary election, the journey of Professor Kamei has indeed been interesting.

The result will only be known when the votes are counted, but it is certainly interesting to see the BJP naming its candidates from academic backgrounds.

In Dr Nara the CPI has a man, who is well respected for his oratorial skills as well as a man who is deemed to be clean with a good reputation.

However it remains to be seen if he can walk the distance and make a difference when election time comes.

In Kim Gangte, the Trinamool Congress has an energetic leader, who has also represented the Outer seat earlier. With the BJP, CPI and TC announcing their candidates, it is the Congress which is yet to name its candidates.

While the other political parties, especially the BJP have been making noises, some right noises and some not so right noises, already launching their poll campaign and setting down the agenda, it is interesting to see the Congress maintaining a studied silence so far.

A strategy or waiting for the green signal from the higher authority of the party ? The Naga People’s Front, which cannot be written off that easily in the hills of Manipur is the other notable political party which is yet to name its candidate.

Though indications have come in that they are still on the look out for a suitable candidate, the chances of the NPF going along with the BJP in the Outer seat cannot be written off, especially given the fact that the DAN, which the NPF heads, is an ally of the BJP. Poll dates have already been announced, with Manipur tipped to go to polls on April 9 (Outer seat) and April 17 (Inner seat), the coming days will surely be interesting, but on which issues will the election be fought this time ?

Corruption is an issue which the BJP has been raking up across the country, but will this issue have an impact in Manipur is the million dollar question.