Are people prepared for the big fight?
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: March 11, 2014 -

The 16th Lok Sabha election is approaching.

It is the peak time when all political parties are electioneering in every nook and corner of the country.

With hardly a month left for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, the political leaders are now in an agitated mood lambasting one another to assert themselves as the ‘perfect’ people’s representatives.

Such high ‘political drama’ is being staged once in five years and it is the responsibility of the audiences to judge their own best ‘actors and actresses’.

However, a significant thing about this Lok Sabha election is the big fight between the young and old blood.

Traditionally, India has been governed by veteran leaders.

But, there is no dearth of young leaders in the country.

There are now young Chief Ministers and also a young probable ‘PM Candidate’.

The ensuing big fight will not be easy for anyone. Most importantly, the voters must be fully prepared to witness the fight and give their rational judgement.

Moreover, the elections are greatly influenced by the regional issues thereby limiting the pan-India political outlook.

Coming to the political scenario of Manipur, the ensuing Lok Sabha election is unlikely to be influenced by the issues of the States.

The core issues of the State were sidelined even in the last Assembly election. The two Lok Sabha seats of the State have always been insignificant in the national politics.

There had been Union Ministers from the State, but the past parliamentarians from the State had failed to act according to people’s aspirations.

It seems that the politicians get to interact with the people only once in five years. They come up with myriad promises at the time of election and vanish shortly after the election.

The problem with the people of Manipur is deviation from issue-based politics.

In other states, mere hike in the price of petrol or onion can be a factor for the downfall of a Government.

But, here in the State no matter what issues, what problems happen during the tenure of a Government, the people will never repent sending back the same Government to power.

The voters seem not interested in the issues.

Recently, some civil organizations have released a 30-point draft people’s manifesto for the coming Lok Sabha election.

If the people go strictly by those points mentioned in the manifesto, then no political party would be able to set feet in the State.

At least for the betterment of the State, the voters must bring forth some core issues as election agenda.

Otherwise, no change can be brought to the State.

It is through active participation of the voters that the democratic institutions can be strengthened.

The responsible citizens should not shy away from voting and be prepared for the coming big fight.