By poll : New equations
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 08, 2009 -

The decision of the MPP and the BJP to support the candidacy of Hanjabam Jayadeva alias Gandhi, an independent candidate in the December 19 by election to the Yaiskul Assembly Constituency, was not totally unexpected, but the new development has certainly added more colour to the election.

In most probability, it was political exigencies that made the MPP and the BJP to forgo the by election and instead opt for Jayadeva, who incidentally was in the Imphal Municipal Council, as a Congress Councillor.

In fact the two parties, that is the MPP and the BJP, may have thought that tacit support would have been the better policy, but with questions raised why the Opposition parties could not come together and field a common candidate, the two parties may have been compelled to review their strategy.

On the part of Jayadeva too, it may have been political prudence on why he did not seek the ticket of the Opposition parties, that is the MPP and the BJP or even the NCP.

Moreover it also stands true that if the Opposition parties come out openly and launch a no holds barred campaign for the Independent candidate, then it may just make the Congress tighten its belt and given the culture of money and muscle power during election time in Manipur, this may just boomerang on the Opposition parties.

These factors taken together may have been the reason why the Opposition parties did not formally announce that they would be supporting the candidacy of Hanjabam Jayadeva.

The Opposition, particularly the MPP has already asked the people to treat the upcoming by election as something of a referendum on the performance of the Congress led Government. On this count, the Opposition will have plenty of sticks to beat Mr Ibobi and his men, given the fact that the unrest following the July 23 BT road incident is yet to ebb.

As for the Congress the formal announcement by the Opposition parties should serve as the rallying point. The decision of the MPP and the BJP to throw their weight behind an Independent candidate will only galvanise them to be more alert and one factor that it would be seeking to bank on is a sympathy wave.

In Elangbam Suraj they have a man, who is accustomed to election politics, given the fact that the late E Kunjeshore had contested from the Yaiskul seat a number of times. The goodwill that the late MLA enjoyed amongst the voters will also certainly have some impact.

As for the two other candidates, Jagdish Sharma an Independent and S Rajendra of the JD (S), it remains to be seen what impact their presence in the fray will have. But as they say, nothing is certain politics, especially during election time and nothing can be said for sure until the last vote is counted.

The election will certainly be interesting, especially with the MPP and the BJP now openly stating that they would support H Jayadeva. It will be of course more interesting, if the NCP too decides to back a man of its choice and formally announces this.