MLA Brojen joins resignation spree; BJP meeting today
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 20 2023:
Despite the calm face shown by chief minister N Biren in the wake of resignations by two BJP MLAs from their respective assigned administrative posts in different government agencies and some MLAs camping in New Delhi, one more BJP MLA has joined the resignation spree.
The latest to join the bandwagon of the dissenting ruling MLAs is Wangjing Tentha's Paonam Brojen, who resigned from the post of chairman of Manipur Development Society (MDS) .
The MLA submitted his resignation letter to the chief minister on Thursday.
Meanwhile, keeping in view of the growing dissent among the ruling MLAs, BJP Manipur Pradesh would be holding a meeting of executive members and party MLAs at the party's state office on Friday.
Chief Minister N Biren and BJP national spokesperson & Manipur in-charge Dr Sambit Patra will co-chair the meeting.
It is not known whether all the 32 BJP MLAs would be attending the meeting or not as some are reportedly in the national capital.
However, a reliable source said that the meeting would discuss the dissenting voices within the party's MLAs and bring up their opinions to the national leaders for finding a way forward in order to bring a solution.
MLA Brojen in his resignation letter stated that he is stepping down from the post of MDS chairman for personal reason.
However, in a video message posted on his social media account, the MLA said that he has several issues with the policies and programmes of the government.
The MLA said that he joined politics in 2012 with the objective to serve the people and bring development in the state.
It is a tradition for the government to publish work programmes for a financial year and take up development works under the supervision of the respective MLAs.
He had high hope of fast pace development in the state under the double engine government.
However, the state government has failed to include any development work for his constituency in the government's work programme since the two projects taken up in Tekcham and Langathel in 2018 .
Moreover, the government has also failed to release the fund for the projects awarded in 2018, he claimed.
With the objective to win the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly election, the BJP gov ernment took up an initiative to improve road conditions across the state by earmarking Rs 5 crore for each assembly constituencies after granting administrative approval in 2021.During a meeting held at the CM's bungalow, the CM assured of awarding work orders for the projects within a short time.
The meeting also agreed to begin the projects through BJP workers to garner more support in the election and the policy succeeded in securing 32 seats in the 2022 elections, he said.
After winning the elections, they were hoping that the government would soon release the funds for the projects they had completed.
Consequently, the CM entrusted him to collect reports of the completed works in different ACs for early release of fund.
The projects include two projects of BJP Manipur Pradesh president and vice-president.
However, the government never released the fund, instead, they were told that the projects have been cancelled, Brojen maintained.
He further said that the projects were implemented by his workers by mortgaging their properties and they are now demanding to release the fund.
It would be easier to pacify the workers if the government did not cancel the projects but since the projects were annulled, he is facing severe hardships in staying home, the MLA said.
With such attitudes of the government, which has affected the credibility of the MLA, he is in no condition to interact with his workers and people of his constituency, he said.
There were high hopes of bringing development and releasing pending pensions for pensioners when the government took Rs 20,000 crore loan.
However, the government has invested the fund in building hotels saying that the revenue from the hotels will be enough to repay the loan.
They even enquired about the source of the fund for paying interest for the loan until the hotels are completed and commissioned.
To their surprise, the government simply responded that the interest will be paid from the state budget, he said.
As for MDS, the only fund allocated to the agency is for payment of salary and maintenance.
He had sought fund enhancement for MDS as the society receives requests for several community projects but his request was denied.
Such situations forced him to resign from the post of chairman of the society since he is not able to carry out his role without proper fund, he said.
Brojen further said that he may receive several political comments for his decision, but he would like to ask to consider his statements before giving responses and comments: Even if he resigned from the post of MDS chairman, he will continue to work to strengthen the party in Thoubal district and consolidate votes for the forthcoming Lok Sabha election for the party, Brojen affirmed.
Four BJP MLAs are currently camping in Delhi reportedly to meet the party's central leadership and voice their grievances.
Three of them have resigned from the administrative posts they were holding.
The fourth legislator has filed a complaint with the Manipur police against the BJP state Minority Morcha president for "threatening" him through a Facebook post.
Earlier, party legislator Karam Shyam resigned on Monday from the chairmanship of Tourism Corporation Manipur Limited complaining that he had "not been assigned any responsibility".
On April 8, another MLA Thokchom Radheshyaam quit as the advisor to the chief minister citing a similar grievance.
The fourth MLA, Khwairak pam Raghumani, has lodged a complaint to the state police against the president of state BJP Minority Morcha Asker Ali for a Facebook post which the legislator interpreted as a "threat" to his life.
Ali allegedly commented on the four MLAs' move to sound out the BJP's top leadership, stating "Let this be the last trip to Delhi" in Manipuri language.
In his complaint, Raghumani claimed Ali, "Has issued this statement while I am away in Delhi and he seems to be threatening that this will be my last trip to Delhi or anywhere" .
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