Col (Retd) in race for BJP ticket
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 04 2013 : A third aspirant has joined the race to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha election from Inner Manipur Parliamentary constituency as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominee.

Retired Indian Army Colonel Chungkham Joyraj announcing his candidacy for the Lok Sabha elections under the BJP flag exuded confidence of getting the patronage of the party's Parliamentary Board.

Speaking to The sangai Express at his Wangkhei Thambalkhong, Imphal East district residence today Col Joyraj said BJP has a tradition of short-listing party aspirants through democratic processes and final approval by the party's Parliamentary Board.

Presently convenor of State unit BJP's Ex-servicemen Cell, Joyraj affirming that he would accept whatever decision is taken by the Parliamentary Board nevertheless opined that based on the Board's procedure of minute assessment of individual candidate's potential to win elections he is certain to have the backing of the Central leaders of the party.

Colonel Chungkham Joyraj

After noted environmentalist Dr RK Ranjan Singh and woman entrepreneur Oinam Indira Devi, Col Joyraj is the third individual to seek BJP ticket for the parliamentary election from Inner Manipur seat.

Having served the nation in almost all the terrains, in addition to have had a stint as an instructor in the reputed Indian Military Academy, Dehradun as well as leading counter-terrorism operations in Jammu and Kashmir, Joyraj observed that Manipur's varied issues need to be highlighted in the floor of the Parliament to make the Indian leaders realise about the gravity of the situation prevailing here in the State.

Declaring that his intention to contest the Lok Sabha election is based on the cherished goal to present grievances of people of Manipur for intense debates in the Parliament, the retired Colonel asserted that, if elected, he would never relent from vigorously pursuing State-specific issues at the highest decision making institute of the country.

Contending that the raging dispute on border fencing project is part of the Congress party's ploy to divert other equally important issues from the media limelight, Col Joyraj also held the Congress Government responsible for the people's dissension on issues related to demand for introducing ILP system, scrapping of AFSPA, drug smuggling, human trafficking, etc.

Pointing out that in the United States of America border demarcation is defined by erecting of border pillars and effective implementation of relevant laws, he disagreed with the Government's concept that through border fencing movement of insurgents or cross border drug smuggling will come to an end.

Joyraj also confided that his strong belief to effectively amend constitutional flaws by being a part of the law making body is another factor for his decision to join electoral politics.

Lamenting alleged callousness of the Central Government towards plight of the North Eastern people, Joyraj said he was deeply hurt on seeing DO letters of North East MPs dumped to the waste-bins by PROs of Union Ministers.

On his decision to be a part of the BJP organisation, he confided that sense of patriotism while in the Army was the genesis of his association with the BJP.