Betrayed people's mandate: Ibobi on resignation by MLAs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 31 2020: CLP leader and ex-Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has asked the MLAs who resigned from their respective posts recently whether they were elected as representatives of the people only to resign midway.

Arunkumar Thangjam of Chingmeirong Mamang Lei-kai who has been preparing to contest the forthcoming by-election in Wangkhei AC has joined Indian National Congress.

A reception function was held in his honour at Congress Bhavan here today under the aegis of MPCC.

Betrayed people's mandate: Ibobi on resignation by MLAs

Speaking at the occasion, O Ibobi rued that the 28 MLAs who were elected on Congress tickets in the State Assembly election held in 2017 could have remained together had all of them believed in the party's principle and ideology.

However, many of them shifted their allegiance to another party in pursuit of their own selfish interests.

While some of them have been disqualified, some others resigned from being Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly for fear of disqualification, Ibobi said.

He then asked the MLAs whether they were elected by people of their respective Assembly segments only to resign before the expiry of their term.

He further asked if the MLAs have any other reason for their resignation.

The MLAs who were elected by people of their respective Assembly segments for a term of five years betrayed the people's trust and made a mockery of democracy by resigning midway in pursuit of their own selfish interests, the CLP leader flayed.

Saying that fortunes of political parties fluctuate in a democracy, Ibobi recalled that at one point of time only late Rishang Keishing was left with Congress party out of more than 20 MLAs elected on Congress tickets as all of them joined Samata Party en-masse.

Yet, Congress party's fortune saw a sudden upsurge soon after and the party went on to hold power for 15 consecutive years, said the ex-Chief Minister.

Claiming that Congress party has not lost its strength even though it is not in power, Ibobi remarked that Arunkumar Thangjam's entry into the party with firm belief in the party's principle and ideology at a time when it is sitting on Opposition bench is an auspicious occasion and it would herald Congress party's change of fortune.

Wangkhei AC is inhabited by different communities but the previous MLA betrayed the people's mandate and made a mockery of democracy by quitting his position of being a Member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Ibobi remarked.

It is time to teach a befitting lesson to such representatives, he said.

He also appealed to all the people to give their mandate to the Congress party again in the forthcoming by-election.

Congress Working Committee member Gaikhangam welcomed Arunkumar Thangjam into Congress party.

Arunkumar has joined Congress party for he believes that only Congress party can serve the people for a long period.

People who do not respect their elders and mentors would only vanish into oblivion and they would be replaced by educated people who prioritise the interests of the State over their personal interest, said MPCC president M Okendro.

Conveying his gratitude to the senior leaders of Congress party for the warm welcome extended to him, Arunkumar sought support of the party leaders in the forthcoming by-election.