MHJU ex-president firm on contesting polls
Source: Chronicle News Service / Kaimuanthang Mangte
Churachandpur, January 14 2022:
Former editor of Lamka Post daily and president of Mani-pur Hill Journalists' Union (MHJU), Th Thangzalian, who is planning to contest the upcoming 12th Legislative Assembly Election in Churachandpur assembly constituency, convened a press conference at his Hiangtam Lamka Churachandpur residence on Friday.
During the press conference, Thangzalian expressed strong exception to fixing of February 27, which is Sunday, as the date of polling by Election Commission of India (ECI) for some assembly constituencies in Christian-dominated hill districts.
Thangzalian urged the ECI to reconsider the day of polling/voting for the first phase of the assembly election to any day other than Sunday and said that a memorandum has been submitted to the chief election commissioner in this regard.
In the memorandum, he said, Sunday is very important to Christians as it is the day set aside for rest and worship in line with the Ten Commandments of the Bible.
Thangzalian then said that as an intending candidate he met the voters and discussed a wide array of issues from household chores to scheme and policy of the government, adding that voters were very upset by the ECI's poll date on Sunday.
He said that the people felt that it (poll date) may affect voters' enthusiasm of partaking in the electoral process.
Further in his memorandum, Thangzalian stated that nine of the assembly constituencies that will go to the polls on Sunday comprise areas where the primary religion of the people is Christianity as 95 percent of the voters are Christians.
Refuting the rumours that he might reverse his decision of contesting the upcoming 12th Legislative Assembly Election, Thangzalian affirmed that he is contesting the election and no one should take such rumours seriously.
"I want to do so many things for the people," he added.