BJP, ally NPP begin campaign ahead of polls in Manipur

BJP’s Manipur unit chief A Sharda Devi has said the state’s ruling coalition led by BJP’s N Biren Singh has demonstrated its seriousness to resolve issues facing people and ensure there are no blockades.

IMPHAL: Manipur’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally National People’s Party (NPP) have started their election campaigns ahead of the polls in the state due early next year.

The Congress, which emerged as the largest single party in the 2017 Manipur elections, has witnessed a depletion in its strength from 28 to 17 due to exits by legislators (Twitter/@AShardaDevi)

The BJP has set a target of winning 40-plus seats in the 60-member Manipur assembly. It won 21 seats in 2017.

BJP’s Manipur unit chief A Sharda Devi said despite floods and the Covid-19 pandemic, their government took up many development activities apart from building trust and understanding among the communities. “... we have seen the seriousness of the government in resolving people’s issues without delay. As a result, the state has been witnessing no bandhs and blockades.”

Chief Minister Biren Singh on Saturday appealed to the public to support the BJP for a stable government to resolve key issues of the state. “...none of the political parties except the BJP in India can save Manipur,” he said while referring to the introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Manipur.

Manipur became the fourth state in the northeast after Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram in introducing the ILP. In states that come under the ILP regime, people from other places of the country need to take prior permission to visit them.

NPP leader and Meghalaya chief minister Conard K Sangma kicked off the party’s poll campaign by attending a youth conclave. NPP leader and deputy chief minister Y Joykumar on Saturday said NPP is targeting to become the single largest party in the 2022 polls by winning a minimum of 20 seats. “So, we have both options to go either with Congress or BJP after the polls in forming the next government.”

Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF), which has four legislators and is part of the ruling alliance, is planning to field over a dozen candidates in the elections.

Opposition Congress’s state chief N Loken has called the BJP-led ruling alliance in Manipur nothing but an “advertise” government.

In the 2017 elections, Congress emerged as the single largest party by winning 28 seats. But the BJP formed the government with the support of parties such as NPP, NPF, and Lok Janshakti Party.

The Congress’s strength has since been reduced to 17 legislators while the BJP’s has gone up to 25.

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