Imphal, December 16: To exert pressure on Delimitation Commission of India, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and AICC president Sonia Gandhi in connection with the demand to exempt Manipur from the ongoing delimitation process and to promulgate an ordinance in this regard, a specially selected 5-member delegation of the all political parties has left Imphal for Delhi today.

The five-member delegation of the all political parties specially selected for the purpose comprise of MPP president Dr L Chandramani, Legislature Wing leader of the party O Joy, party MLA Dr Ng Bijoy, BJP State unit president Dr Haobam Borbabu and former Minister of CPI Dr M Nara.

After an earlier delegation of the all political parties had gone to the National capital to urge the Central leaders not to go ahead with the delimitation exercise in Manipur on the basis of the controversial Census report of 2001, the fivemember delegation which left Imphal today would carry on lobbying with the Central leaders to exempt Manipur from the purview of the Delimitation Act and promulgate an ordinance in this connection.

Even if the earlier delegation could not meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and AICC president Sonia Gandhi, the specially selected delegates would ensure meeting with the two important Central leaders this time.

It is said that the delimitation process has already completed in 25 States of India.

But the process has been stalled in four North Eastern States including Manipur due to opposition from these States.

The Government of Manipur has been contending that the delimitation should not be carried out on the basis of the census report of 2001 which had recorded abnormal increase of population in some parts of Manipur.

In the last meeting of the delegation of the all political party with National president of BJP Rajnath, senior BJP leader and Opposition leader of Lok Sabha LK Advani and National president of Samata Party George Fernandes, the Central leaders had reportedly given assurance for taking up the issue of delimitation in Manipur during the meeting of the Delimitation Commission scheduled to be held today (December 16).Over and above this, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had reportedly told the leaders of the all political parties that the delimitation process can be stalled in Manipur in case the BJP and other Left parties have no objection.

Talking to mediapersons before leaving Imphal today, the members of the specially selected delegation of the all political parties categorically stated that every possible efforts would be made with the support of the people to challenge carrying out delimitation process in Manipur based on the controversial census report legally and politically so as to avoid unwanted consequences.

Comment