IMC elections likely to be held in April
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 01 2011:
Government is understood to have asked the state election commission to start preparation for the conduct of elections to the Imphal Municipal Council (IMC) which has been under suspension since August 9 last year.
Political parties have already started their electioneering.
The process for holding elections to the 27 seats of the IMC was reportedly taken up by the government as '1872 crore funds sanctioned for taking up various urban development projects and schemes under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) could not be utilized without the elected body, an official source told Hueiyen Lanpao.
The IMC was placed under suspension for six months by an order of MAHUD on August 9 last year.
MAHUD charged the urban body for financial irregularities and a staggering financial loss of ' 19.30 lakh a month.
The elections are likely to come up in April.
L Basanta, BJP state unit's general secretary said that the party is convening a meeting tomorrow in which details of fielding party candidates in the elections will be discussed.
The inability to utilize the ' 1872 crore sanctioned by the Centre due to placing of IMC under suspension, will be the main agenda for the party's manifesto in the elections, he said alleging that the SPF government had placed the IMC under suspension with the hidden agenda of siphoning the funds by direct handling of the projects and schemes by the government.
The BJP had brought up the matter to the notice of the Prime Minister, who intervened and blocked the release of the funds, Basanta claimed.
The MPP has also a firm decision to defeat the Congress in the IMC elections, Yanglem Mangi, the vice-president of MPP said.
The MPTC has also started preparations for the elections.
Spokesperson, Inao, said that the party will field candidates in the elections.