NPF fumes over exclusion from delimitation panel
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 04 2020:
NPF which is a partner of the BJP-led coalition Government is literally boiling with anger over their exclusion from nomination as associate members of the Delimitation Commission.
A well placed source informed that NPF which has four MLAs sent a strongly worded letter to the Manipur Legislative Assembly Speaker and the Chief Minister on Saturday last against the State Government's failure to induct any one of them as associate members of the Delimitation Commission.
Significantly, the letter was signed by all the four NPF MLAs.
Notably, five MLAs were nominated as associate members of the Delimitation Commission in the first phase.
Of the five MLAs inducted as associate members, Y Surchandra has been disqualified, Samuel Jendai has resigned from the membership of Manipur Legislative Assembly and Govindas Konthoujam has resigned from the Delimitation Commission.
In their place, MLA RK Imo, Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar and CAF&PD Minister Karam Shyam were inducted as associate members of the Delimitation Commission.
One or more representatives of all political parties which are partners of the coalition and even Opposition Congress have been nominated as associate members of the Delimitation Commission.
As such, at least one member of NPF ought to be inducted as an associate member, asserted the source.
Questioning the logic of excluding NPF from the Delimitation Commission while all other parties are represented, the source decried that the Government has been taking the NPF for granted.
It was the NPF which first extended unconditional support to BJP to form Government even though it had only 21 MLAs.
It was the NPF's unconditional support which paved for establishment of BJP-led Government in the State, asserted the source.
Again it was the NPF which helped the Government in resolving many anti-Government protest agitation including economic blockades.
Not long after the coalition Government was sworn in, one Cabinet berth was allotted to NPF with a promise to allot a second Cabinet berth after two months.
But the second Cabinet berth was allotted only this year when the Government's term is about to expire, rued the source.
Even though NPF and BJP are partners of the coalition Government, there was no consultation between the two on fielding a common candidate for the Rajya Sabha election.
It was only after NPF fielded its own candidate that BJP invited the party for consultation.
They urged the NPF to withdraw their candidate with a promise that an honourable post would be given to the NPF candidate.
Contrary to the BJP's promise, the NPF candidate has been given the post of PDA vice-chairman, said the source while asking if the post of PDA vice-chairman can be treated as an honourable post.
Even though BJP's candidate Leishemba Sanajaoba was elected with the help of NPF, the party was not invited when Sanajaoba was felicitated by the Government.
Such instances of humiliation and step-motherly treatment are galore, said the sources.
Whether the delimitation exercise should go ahead or not depends on the directive of Court but there is no guarantee that the people who elected the four NPF MLAs would remain silent against the selective exclusion of the party (NPF) from the Delimitation Commission, the source added.
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