Pre-poll ticket tussle, post-poll tension inevitable
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: January 29, 2022 -

WITHOUT an iota of doubt, the inability of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to finalise its candidates for the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly election scheduled on February 27 and March 3 indicates that it is struggling to whittle down the number of ticket seekers and in the process creating tension among the intending candidates as well as their supporters.

The BJP leadership might have shortlisted the probable candidates but it’s obvious that finalising the names wouldn’t be an easy task.

Among other reasons, over 15 Congress MLAs elected in the 2017 polls shifting allegiance to BJP, one joining the NDA ally Janata Dal-United after expulsion from the parent party and many rookie politicians eyeing to contest the ensuing election under the flag and symbol of the saffron party have been putting the BJP in a tight corner.

Of all the political parties which are rolling up the sleeves for the elections, the public are keenly following the evolving situation in the BJP as it is the party to beat and seems to be gaining both strength and momentum on account of the multiple intending candidates in most of the assembly constituencies.

With exception of the Indian National Congress which had been in power for three consecutive terms till the BJP formed the coalition government, all other parties are relatively new in the state’s political landscape and as such would be gratified by securing a handful of seats in order to wield the bargaining power in the formation of the new government in case of a hung mandate.

With voice of dissent imminent as and when many BJP intending candidates are denied the ticket, it is unlikely that the BJP leadership would relish the exodus of large number of supporters along with the ticket seekers as the party leaders have been making no secret that its primary objective is to form the government on its own.

Though the intention is clear and goal achievable if it could avert division of votes, which is a possibility only if the ticket seekers unite and back those candidates approved by the central leaders, report of the BJP signing an ‘agreement of cooperation’ with several party members who might be fielded in the upcoming Manipur assembly elections, in a bid to prevent switching of allegiance before the polls underscores that there is intense lobbying for the ticket.

The party might have succeeded in harmonising the relationship amongst the intending candidates and impressing upon the probable candidates that switching sides wouldn’t bode well for the BJP, there is no guarantee that ardent supporters of those candidates who denied the ticket would want anti-climax end to their months of campaign toil.

As only one from among intending candidates would be chosen for an assembly constituency, the BJP definitely would breathe a sigh of relief and could start believing in the realisation of its goal if the so-called memorandum of cooperation holds ground.

In contrast, non-abidance to the pact from any side might be detrimental to BJP’s pursuit for an exclusive government, which the party believes is crucial to live up to the expectation and satisfaction of people of the state.