'Mann Ki Baar overshadows internal rumbling
No strife, difference of opinion within party: CM
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 27 2023: A meeting of the state BJP Legislature Party chaired by BJP national spokesperson and North-East in-charge Sam-bit Patra, who is on a two-day visit to the state in the wake of resignations by some BJP MLAs and other possible issues within the party, was held at Thambal Shanglen on Thursday.

In-spite of meeting held in the backdrop of the resignation spree, chief minister N Biren asserted that there is no internal strife or difference of opinion within the party.

Political chicanery and internal rumbling within the ruling BJP-led government headed by Manipur CM Biren appeared to have overshadowed and anointed soothing balms at least at present on Thursday.

Though the meeting was held amid the resentment among a section of BJP legislators against N Biren, and the resignation of four ruling party MLAs from government posts, it remained "inconclusive", sources said.

There was no official word regarding the meeting.

However, a BJP leader said that Sambit Patra would report to the central leaders about the Thursday's meeting and then the high command would decide.

Expressing their resentment against the Chief Minister, between April 13 and April 24, four MLAs - Thokchom Radheshyam, Karam Shyam, Raghumani Singh, and Paonam Brojen Singh - quit their government posts.

The four BJP legislators were, respectively, the Chief Minister's advisor, and Chairman of the Manipur State Tourism Development Corporation, the Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency and the Manipur Development Society.

All the four MLAs claimed that they were not given due responsibility, funds and authority to function in their posts.

CM Biren had claimed earlier this week that there are no differences of opinion and resentment among the legislators.

After Thursday's meeting, he, in a tweet, said that the meeting deliberated on the ongoing preparations of the 100th edition of Mann Ki Baat which would be broadcast worldwide on April 30.Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann ki Baat has touched the lives of millions of individuals not only in the country but across the globe, Biren claimed and appealed to everyone to tune in to Mann Ki Baat this Sunday at 11 am.

CM Biren attended the BJP meeting presided by Sambit Patra in the presence of the president of BJP Manipur Pradesh, A Sharda Devi, ministers, MLAs, and karyakartas at the state BJP head office.

The meeting deliberated on the ongoing preparations for the 100th edition of 'Mann Ki Baat' which will be broadcast worldwide on April 30, 2023 .

The meeting also appealed to all to tune in to 'Mann Ki Baat' this Sunday at 11 am.

Later, the CM accompanied Dr Sambit Patra as he painted the lotus symbol of the BJP at the BJP office as a part of the ongoing preparations for the 100th edition of the 'Mann Ki Baat' .

"The gesture is our reaffirmation and commitment to the core values and Ideals behind the Lotus symbol," the CM said on his Twitter on Thursday.

Earlier, there was a visit at Shri Shri Govindaji temple, Imphal East with Dr Sambit Patra, and BJP state president Sharda Devi.

The meeting which began around 9am was attended by 37 MLAs including those from JD (U), with the exception of minister Sapam Ranjan and three other MLAs, who are currently out of station due to health and other official reasons.

The MLAs, who had recently resigned from their posts, namely Karam Shyam, Th Radheshyam and Kh Raghumani, were also in attendance.

Responding to questions from the media regarding the meeting, CM Biren informed that the meeting deliberated on the upcoming PM Modi's 100th episode of 'Mann ki Baat'.

The party is preparing in full swing to broadcast the episode worldwide on April 30 .

In Manipur's context, discussions were held to broadcast the episode in every constituency, he said, while appealing to the people of the state to listen to the 100th episode of 'Mann ki Baat'.

Replying to another question on whether some disgruntled MLAs are still stationing outside the state, Biren stated that there is no internal strife or any form of difference of opinion within the party.

The MLAs had travelled outside the state for medical treatment and other official works.

However, all of them have returned and attended the meeting, he added.

A Sharda also spoke to newspersons after the meeting, iterating that the meeting deliberated on the upcoming broadcast of the 100th episode of PM Modi's 'Mann ki Baat', scheduled for April 30.The broadcast will be of great benefit to the citizens of the country, she added.

She then said that there is no misunderstanding at the party level and the absentee MLAs have already informed the party the reason of their absence via official letter and through telephone.

Regarding the upcoming 2024 polls, Sharda said that this is a democratic right of the people in every democracy.

However, the party is only targeting the polls and not on the organisation of the party.

The party organisation, aside from its efforts to form the government, has been understating of the people's sentiments including addressing their grievances while working as a regular activist.

Thus, BJP will win with majority in the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, she remarked.

During the meeting, the MLAs, who wanted to talk with Sambit Patra met him on one-on-one basis, while those MLAs who had nothing to say, left after the meeting.

After the meeting, the gathering had lunch at the residence of former union minister Th Chaoba, after which Sambit Patra left for Delhi.

Upon his arrival at Imphal on Wednesday afternoon, the BJP leader called on Governor Anusuiya Uikey and held a discussion on several issues including political development in the state.

At the Imphal airport, the BJP national leader was accorded a warm welcome.

Manipur Pradesh president A Sharda, ministers Nemcha Kipgen, Awangbow Newmai, and Khashim Vashum along with the party's office bearers accorded a warm welcome to the BJP leader at Imphal international airport.

Later, in the evening, the visiting leader chaired a meeting of BJP Manipur Pradesh office bearers and district presidents.

He held discussion on issues related to the party's organisation as well as the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

BJP has 32 elected legislators after the Assembly election result was declared in March 2022.But the number has reached 56 in the sixty-member state Assembly as of today.

(with inputs from Agencies) .

Comment