CPI to campaign against by-elections
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 08 2020: Claiming that the forthcoming by-election to the vacant Assembly seats has been necessitated due to horse trading by BJP, CPI has resolved not to field any of its candidates but campaign against the by-election which is being planned amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Speaking to media persons at Irabot Bhavan here this afternoon, CPI veteran leader Dr Moirangthem Nara remarked that the by-election is not something necessitated by natural factors such as expiry of sitting MLAs but is an artificial one engineered by BJP which allegedly offered hefty amounts to some MLAs to resign from the membership of Manipur Legislative Assembly.

The forthcoming would be never free and fair.

It would be marked by purchase of voters, supply of intoxicating substances and sponsoring of feasts, Dr Nara said while asserting that CPI always opposes such methods of electioneering.

Noting that several CSOs and the public have already urged the election authority not to hold the by-election in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Nara said that CPI would not field any candidate or support the by-election.

There are reliable reports that the by-election to the vacant Assembly seats would be held by November this year, said CPI State Secretary L Sotinkumar.

Pointing out that COVID-19 has been spreading far and wide in the State with the death toll nearing 40, Sotinkumar decried that the by-election is ill-timed.

The State has been passing through a very critical phase with the district administrations declaring containment zones at several places on daily basis including the Assembly segments which would go to by-poll, he said.

Holding by-election under the prevailing situation would render lakhs of people more vulnerable to COVID-19 even if the by-election is held under stringent protective and preventive measures, Sotinkumar said.

It was rather disheartening that Chief Minister N Biren declared in the media that BJP was fully prepared for the by-election as if he was least concerned with the COVID-19 situation.

CPI is fully aware that people of 13 Assembly segments have been facing a very precarious situation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic because of MLAs who see politics as a business enterprise, he remarked before urging the State Government to pay special attention to the Assembly segments which have been left without any MLA.

He said that CPI would launch a campaign against the ECI and State Government's plan to hold by-election amidst the COVID-19 crisis in total disregard to the collective wish of the people and CSOs of the State.

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