For a chance to serve the people
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: October 07 2011 -

Election to the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly is some five months away and in the midst of problems, issues, strikes, protests, blockades besetting the state, the signs of the coming general elections is all too apparent. In fact, various activities with an eye on the impending elections have been going on for quite some time now.

Two things sets the run up to the assembly election this time around from previous elections – one the rather early beginning of activities leading to the hustings.

Many constituencies are throbbing with poll related activities and the residences of prospective candidates are abuzz with comings and goings of workers and sympathizers this early in the day.

The second discernable difference is the emergence of scores of 'social workers' almost out of the blue in these past few months. Of course they did not drop out of the sky or took birth overnight.

They are but reincarnations of mostly former contractors and sprinkling of former government employees. Having 'served' the people rather well in their previous callings, they now want to do so in a more wholesome manner in their new incarnations as 'social workers'.

Needless to say, their immediate aim is to fight the coming elections, win it, enter the portals of Manipur Legislative Assembly and truly become the 'servant' of the people always at their beck and call.

These noble souls have begun this process of serving the people in right earnest. If some of them are distributing rice, then others kerosene and yet others will construct some meira paibi sangs.

Gifts and cash to sportspersons, meritorious students, monetary help to the elderly, financial assistance to local clubs - the list of good deeds goes on and on.

The others who have already graduated from 'social workers' to full time 'servants of the people' are also not keeping quiet. They too are busy looking after the need of their masters - the people, more so at this time, when elections are just around the corner.

The political parties are not sitting idle. Even those parties which have been hibernating these past three/four years have started stirring from their slumbers.

The Congress party, the lead actor in this upcoming assembly election is not letting go of any opportunity to remind the people that their destiny is safe only with this party.

Other than meetings specially organized with an eye on the polls its prominent leaders make use of every available pubic platform to drive home this point.

They not only list the achievements of the Congress led SPF government, the infrastructure developments, the flyover, the three markets in Kwairamband Bazar, the High Court complex, the Capitol project, etc but remind the people of the dark days of struggle, of months without salary when the Congress was out of power.

The opposition, particularly the main opposition, the MPP, is not taking this lying down. They shout and scream about the many instances of the Congress led government's inaction and misgovernance.

The inability to find any solution to the ongoing Sadar Hills issue, and consequently the failure to end the economic blockades which has now entered the 67th day, has given the party just the handle to beat the Congress with.

This failure of the government, coming as it is at just the right time, seem to have energized the MPP. On the one hand, it is putting pressure on the government and on the other hand, reorganizing itself for the showdown, gathering some of its proven performers (election wise) like Ng Bijoy and Shyamkumar in its fold.

The state BJP is also making good use of its clout in the centre as the main opposition to put pressure on the Ibobi Singh led government. In the melee, the MSCP made a killing of sorts considering its present state, when the Wungaoshang Keishing decided to contest the election to the 10th Manipur State Assembly.

It's still early days, we might yet see a lot of churning in the political arena, but the call has been sounded and the preparations are on for the battle ahead.