Will contest election to fight BJP's dictatorial rule: Q Joy
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 03 2021: Veteran politician Okram Joy has said that he will contest the 2022 state assembly election on Congress ticket from Langthabal assembly constituency to fight the dictatorial rule ot BJP.

Speaking to some media persons at his Kakwa residence on Friday, O Joy explained that earlier he had decided to retire from active politics but the dictatorial and autocratic policies of BJP compelled him to re-enter electoral politics.

He will announce his decision to contest the 2022 state assembly election after December 5 formally.

He took the decision considering the complex political trend the country and the state is facing today.

The values of democracy and secularism are degrading under the present government.

Autocratic rule without giving autonomy to institutions, uncontrolled price rise of essential commodities, hardships the public are suffering are the driving factors behind his decision to contest the election.

He wants to sail along with the new wave of change and transformation moved by the youth in order to bring the much-needed changes and to protect democracy, Joy said.

One Dinesh, who had contested state assembly election from Langthabal AC in the past, will declare his support to him on December 5.Left parties have also agreed to join hands with Congress.

Regarding an earlier announcement made by a former candidate named N Nilakumar in support of MLA Karam Shyam, he said that the public will definitely get agitated if some individuals for their vested interest try to represent a locality without the consent of the residents.

O Joy further said that he once joined BJP on the request of the party's leaders but he quit the party on seeing the way the BJP government dealt with Manipur University issues and PDS issues.

His decision is to challenge the degrading law and order situation in the state where an MLA can freely intimidate the public by whipping out his licensed gun, he added.

On the other hand, secretary of O Joy's election committee for polling station number 20/2 and 20/3 N Baljit said that during a grand feast organised for MLA Karam Shyam at Khongnang Pheidekpi on November 28, former candidate N Nilakumar told the media that he along with all the voters of the two polling stations will support Karam Shyam in the 2022 election.

He made the statement without the knowledge and consent of the local residents.

As a result, local people confronted with him and Nilakumar clarified that he was speaking about himself and his companions only.

Baljit said that he was an active worker of Nilakumar in the last election but he along with large number of voters of the two polling stations are supporting 0 Joy this time.

They strongly condemned MLA Karam Shyam for intimidating the public by using his licensed guns in a recent incident and it was unbecoming of an elected public representative, he said.

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