MPP on LS polls
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 18 2013: Though unofficial, talks have been initiated amongst non-Congress political parties so as to field a common candidate in the 16th Lok Sabha elections likely to be held next year and seek the people's mandate.

This was stated by MPP advisor O Joy.

Speaking to media persons at MPP office today, O Joy claimed that many Opposition parties responded positively to the informal talks initiated so far in order to field a common candidate for the Lok Sabha election.

He also appealed to all opposition parties not to stick to the general concept that political parties cannot work together, or that they must fight the election on their own under their own party symbols.

All parties need to ponder whether party comes first or the State.

By avoiding ideological conflict and putting aside self interests, all opposition parties need to come to a common platform where they can field a common candidate so that he/she enjoys public mandate.

In the 2004 Lok Sabha election, five parties namely; MPP, MNC, DrPP, JD(U) and FPM fielded a common candidate in the person of MPP's Dr L Chandramani.

Whereas Manipur has become a boiling pot of myriad problems, rich and influential people have been playing their own sweet will.

At the same time, the gap between haves and have-nots has widened to an unprecedented level.

Even as there were many reports of the involvement of security forces in criminal activities including smuggling of drugs, human rights violation and large scale black marketing, the same issues could not be reflected properly in the State Assembly or the Parliament, Joy remarked.

Under India's political system and its 'high-command' culture, Manipur has been living like a beggar.

Under such circumstances, it is crucial to field a common candidate of opposition parties so that the burning issues of Manipur can be highlighted in the Parliament.

Asking if the police recruitment process is being done according to rules as assured by the Home Minister earlier, Joy claimed that people are aware of recruitment process which is allegedly based on 'money list' rather than merit list.

Conveying his appreciation for election of N Sovakiran as the 14th president of MPP unopposed with a view to protect identity and culture of Manipuri people and at the same time strengthen regionalism, Joy hailed the people of Nagaland for their faith in regionalism and the befitting lesson they taught to Congress party.

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