'BJP will win two-thirds majority in Manipur'
Source: Chronicle News Service

Guwahati, December 30 2021: Assam minister and senior BJP leader Ashok Singhal, who is the party's co-in-charge for the upcoming Manipur election, said the saffron alliance will get two-thirds majority in the 60-member assembly, considering the prevailing political mood in the state, Some analysts think the BJP could become the single largest party in the state and touch the 40 mark in the house.

"One or two seats may increase or decrease," Singhal told TOI from Manipur.

He added that the overall "peace and development" ushered in during the five years of BJP rule will ensure their victory for the second consecutive term.

Considering the BJP's performance in the 2017 assembly polls in Manipur, where the BJP had won only 21 seats, the target of winning 40 seats seems to be an uphill task.

Even as the Congress had emerged as the single-largest party with 28 seats in the last election, BJP stitched an alliance with the NPP, NPF and the Lok Janshakti Party and formed the government.

Since then, there has been an exodus of Congress workers and leaders to the BJP.

Even the Manipur Congress president Govindas Konthoujam joined the BJP in August, a few days after he stepped down as Manipur PCC president and also as an MLA.

In a major boost to the saffron party, NPP leader and youth affairs and sports minister Letpao Haokip on Wednesday joined the BJP in the national capital.

"I can say in both the hills and valley, the BJP is strong.

Our people-connect programmes have inspired them," said Singhal, who is overseeing the election affairs in 50% of the seats, while the rest is being monitored by Union minister Pratima Bhoumik.

Union cabinet minister Bhupender Yadav is the overall in-charge of Manipur for BJP.

"There is no formidable opposition in Manipur.

The Congress factor in the last election was because the then chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who ruled for 15 years, had used all the means available at his disposal to manoeuvre the election," Singhal alleged.

After the Oting firing incident in Nagaland earlier this month, cries are getting louder in the region for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

The issue of killing of civilians is rearing its head ahead of the assembly polls with opposition Congress promising that if it returns to power, the first cabinet meeting would decide on the immediate and complete withdrawal of AFSPA from the state.

But Singhal feels AFSPA is not an issue this election.

"The common man needs peace and development," said Singhal.

Echoing Singhal, Manipur BJP chief spokesperson Chongtham Bijoy Singh said that there is no major 'outside' challenge from the Congress and he is confident of winning 40 seats.

"We don't have strong opponents to fight against but our winning candidates were fighting among themselves.

They should not fight with each other," he appealed as Manipur has a history of those denied tickets becoming turncoats.

"The Congress is as good as finished.

Parties like the NPP are trying to fill up the vacuum," said Bijoy, who lashed out at the NPP, alleging that the Conrad Sangma-led party did not honour the 'coalition dharma' .

The NPP, which had four MLAs in Manipur till recently, has been a coalition partner of the BJP but lacking trust for quite some time.

Two of the four NPP ministers were dropped from the state cabinet earlier.

The alliance between the two NDA allies is becoming more complicated as the NPP may finally contest in several seats independently.

"At one time they (NPP) tried to break the party (BJP) and people branded them as a party of poor integrity.

They are hoping very high but we are thinking otherwise," he said.

Bijoy added that both the Congress and NPP are waiting for some leaders from the BJP to walk out as they may not get tickets.

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