The formation of new BJP-led Government in Manipur

Khelsoril Wanbe *

MLAs to 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly took oath of office on March 19 2017 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

The fifteen year long reign of Indian National Congress under the leadership of Shri. Okram Ibobi Singh has finally come to an abrupt end. The former footballer, journalist turned politician and former congressman Shri Nongthombam Biren Singh has been appointed as the leader of the new government.

People of Manipur had been wondering as to what would be the outcome of the General Election of 2017, what would be the popular mandate of the voters. At some points in the run up to the election there were serious doubts about the ability of BJP coming to power in Manipur especially in view of the boisterous wrangling and tussles for leadership and candidacy in the party.

There were predictions galore that only very few seats would be won by BJP mostly in the hills and that Congress would return with thumping victory; but quite contrary to the predictions of those political pundits, BJP won a handsome number of seats and the incumbent party lost considerable number of important seats leaving them with just three seats short of the required 31 MLAs to form a government.

With bated breath we waited to hear which of the two, Congress and BJP, manage to acquire/secure the required 31 MLAs by any means to be in a position to form the much awaited new government. The INC with 28 MLAs was thought to have the shorter or easier road to power but Bharatiya Janata Party whose national heavy weights were camping and keeping vigil at Imphal somehow managed to come up with the magic number of 33 MLAs. Now that the new government has been formed, people of Manipur, both big and small, are anxiously watching what positive changes are brought about by the new government under the leadership of the new honourable Chief Minister, Shri N. Biren Singh.

A number of grand and tall promises were proffered by the BJP on the eve of the General Elections. Now the time has just started for the new government to begin to act. The Act East Mission is now at its best favourable time to get translated into action and reality without further procrastination. However, what cannot be winked at at the moment is how the new government is going to keep itself up in a good form given the fact that it is a Coalition and not a single party government.

It is high up in the realms of speculations and surmising as to how long the new government is gonna last – Is it going to last the full five year term and even get consolidated and go beyond into the next term or is it going to derail abruptly before the maturity of time owing to some unforeseen developments are the two million dollar worth questions that perplex the minds of the people.

Alleviation of unemployment and poverty problems, reduction and eradication of corruption, better development of infrastructures like road, rail, air connectivity, provision of cheap and efficient internet facility, provision of piped potable drinking water to every household, provision of job to every family, connecting of all districts with four lane highways etc are some of the visions of BJP that were highlighted before the elections. People were enchanted by the grand promises and despite all the unfavourable circumstances surrounding the party, BJP managed to secure 21 MLAs.

That was indeed a great achievement on the part of this party which had never experienced such success in the past. All these had happened by dint of the party being the ruling party at the Centre. And as everybody knows BJP has been achieving successes both at the Lok Sabha Elections and State Assembly Elections by virtue of the stand against CORRUPTION by the party and particularly its leader, Shri. Narendra Modiji who has been projected as spearheading a national campaign against the hydra headed monster called CORRUPTION.

I personally feel that it is not on account of its being a religious fundamentalist party backed by powerful Hindu religious organisations that BJP has been experiencing a series of success in the recent time but primarily because of it being seen as a probable force or wave against corruption, unemployment, poverty and underdevelopment.

In fact, the party needs to always keep in mind the trust and high hopes that the people of India repose on it to be an agent of change and force against corruption, poverty, underdevelopment etc and that politics is a dynamic entity that keeps on changing from time to time – what is true in the present time may not be so in the future.

Presently, BJP is the most formidable political entity of the nation and its wave has not failed to make a powerful impact in the state of Manipur. However, despite all that have transpired in the past few days the party and its government cannot remain complacent and incautious of what may develop any time.

The only source of confidence and security seems to be the fact that BJP is the ruling party at the centre and by past precedent what we observe is that Manipur, being a tiny dependant state, always looks up to the Centre for perpetual financial help and support. But in the game of politics, it is always difficult to accurately predict what will happen next.

Keeping aside all that might or might not happen in the coming days, what the people of Manipur expect the new government to do is to translate into reality and actions all the promises that it had made and all the visions that it had presented on the eve of 2017 General Election. There have been allegations and accusations of the former incumbent government being indulging in corruption and this and that but one should not forget all that it managed to accomplish during its long fifteen years reign.

All their accomplishments had been highlighted in the past too. The former CM Ibobi led government too was undeniably a dynamic one that made many things really happened. Some of the remarkable ones include the introduction of prepaid power billing system that completely revolutionised the way we experience and perceive power supply in Manipur, completion of a number of projects like Capitol project, Manipur High Court, significant development of JNIMS, completion of Flyover Bridge, completion of Ima Market Complex, completion of Convention Halls, Completion of Sanjenthong Bridge, recruitment of Medical doctors, engineers, MCS, Nurses, and other employees in various government departments etc.

On the negative side, there were many complaints and accusations of the government being indulging in corruption, the frequent bandhs, blockades, strikes, agitations, uprisings etc . One very disturbing event that began only few months before the Election was the indefinite economic blockade called by United Naga Council against the proposed formation of two new districts namely Sadar Hills and Jiribam and its continuance in the aftermath of controversial declaration of seven new districts.

Shri. N. Biren Singh, on his appointment as the new Chief Minister of Manipur, asserted that resolving the blockade crisis would be his priority and expressed his desire and intention to bring about egalitarian development in the state citing the composition of his new coalition government comprised of representatives of all the different communities of the state. The people of Manipur are in high hopes that the new government will keep its words of doing away with corruption and striving to bring about an economic equilibrium in the hills and valleys of the state.