AICC observers arrive, belittle exit polls
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 08 2022:
With the firm belief that no party would get majority in the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly election, four observers of All India Congress Committee (AICC) arrived here on Tuesday to chalk out strategies to form the next government with other parties.
The AICC observers are general secretary Mukul Wasnik, Islan Kidwai, Chhattisgarh minister TS Singh Deo and Meghalaya MP Vincent Pala.
When asked reasons for their visit at Imphal airport, Mukul Wasnik told media persons that people were witnesses to violation of constitutional norms in Manipur and Goa five years ago when BJP led governments were formed in these two states even though Congress party emerged as the single largest party in the elections held then.
Formation of governments in these two states by manipulating mandate of the people by BJP during that time was violation of Constitution, he said, adding that AICC observers are visiting the state to assess political scenario and to prevent manipulation of people's mandate.
He also said that Congress party has firm belief that people of Manipur supported INC in the just concluded election and the party believes in forming a government with like-minded parties in the state.
In his reply to another query, the AICC observer said that exit polls are not precise as was evident from past elections.
He also said that Congress party believes that exit poll results would be wrong and the same will be proved in the coming few days.
Meghalaya minister TS Singh Deo also told media persons that exit poll results are not right and the reality will come out on March 10.He said that a Congress government would be formed in Manipur.
AICC observers were accorded a warm welcome by AICC Manipur in-charge Bhakta Charan Das, CLP leader O Ibobi Singh, MPCC president N Loken and other leaders of the party at Imphal Airport.
Meanwhile, a source informed that AICC observers have been given strict instruction to take care of successful candidates of the party and share their information to central leaders.
AICC leaders further instructed observers to hold talks with successful candidates immediately after getting results and decide on the works to be done further.
The Congress also deputed senior leaders for poll management ahead of election results in Uttarakhand, Goa and Punjab.
While Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar will be special observer in Goa AICC general secretary Ajay Maken and party spokesperson Pawan Khera have been deployed as party special observers for Punjab.
Rajya Sabha member Deepinder Singh Hooda has also left for Dehradun after he was asked by the party leadership to reach there for management of legislators in case of a hung assembly.
The party's in-charges and observers in various pollbound states will also be stations at the state headquarters ahead of results.
The move is aimed at keeping the Congress flock together in case of a hung assembly in Goa, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Punjab.
The appointment of special observers is part of the Congress strategy to work out government formations in states where no party gets a clear majority.
The sources said plans are also afoot in the party to shift its newly-elected legislators to a safe location in Congress-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
Party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is also learnt to have seen the arrangements in place for its legislators in the desert state in case they need to be shifted there.
The sources said the MLAs will be kept at "safe locations" to prevent what they said "possible attempts by others to poach them".
The Congress is not taking any chances this time as had been done during the last Goa elections when despite emerging as the single largest party, it failed to form its government there.
Exit polls have predicted a tight race in Uttarakhand and Goa, while most of them have projected a victory for the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab.
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