Journey of a political party : National People's Party
- Part 2 -

Dr Kh Gourachandra Singh *

Who is V.Hangkhalian in Manipur Politics?

V. Hangkhalian was born on 31st March, 1955 at Zen- hang Lamka, Churachandpur District. He is a BA. Shri V. Hangkhalian is the first MLA of NPP in Manipur. For the first time he was elected on NPP ticket in the 1990 5th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election.

He was also elected on NPP tickets in the 1995 and 2007 elections. He was also elected on MSCP ticket in the 2000 election. He was defeated in 2002 election as an NCP candidate.

For sometime he was President of NCP, Manipur State. He left NCP on 31st March, 2006 and joined BSP (Mayawati) in April 2006.

Afterwards he became President, Manipur State BSP. After some time he left BSP and rejoined NPP and became its President.

He left the position of the president, NPP Manipur State on September 15, 2012 and became a National Executive Member of NPP. He attended the merger function of NCP led by Shri PA Sangma faction in Meghalaya to the NPP on 24-8-2012 at Shillong as a special guest.

He could not return the 10th Assembly Election, 2012 when he contested on NPP ticket. Though elected on NPP ticket in the 1995 Asembly Election he converted to Congress (I) MLA on 27th July, 1995 during the regime of Rishang Keishing, Cong (I) Govt. But he left Cong (I) and joined the MSCP on 5th Dec 1997 under Shri W Nipamacha Singh. He became Minister of Manipur for several terms.

Is National People Party a new Political Party?

The National People Party (NPP) was formed on the 13th January 1989 at the Mandop of Kongrailatpam Brajamohon Dev Sharma (journalist) at Naoremthong Uripok with Shri (Late) Nongthombam Ibomcha Singh (Tera Laimu) as the first President by a convention of academicians, social workers, journalists, etc. at the time of formation of this party it had a national outlook.

In those days NPP was said to be the re-emergence of the "Praja Shanti" a political party that took share in the government in 1948. NPP was recognized by the Election Commission of India as a Registered, un-recognised State Party vide Regd. No. 162/89 & 196/ 91.

NPP for the first time won 1 (one) Assembly seat in Churachanpur A/C in the 5th Manipur State Legislative Assembly Election, 1990. He was V. Hangkhalian and he was the only winner out of 5 candidates of the party in the fray. He became the first NPP MLA and he worked as a Minister in the RK Ranbir (MPP) led ULF Government.

In the 6th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election 1995 out of 5 candidates in the fray in 5A/Cs only two- T Goujadou and V Hang-khalian could return.

But in the 7th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election in 2000, only one candidate was in the fray in the Chandel A/C.

The candidate Ngamlet Baite secured only 17 votes. There was not a single candidate in the fray in the 8th Manipur Assembly Election, 2002. But in the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2007 out of 5 candidates in the fray in 5 A/Cs 3 (three) could return. They are : (1) V Hangkhalian (Thanlon A/C), (2) Thangminlen Kipgen (Kangpokpi A/C) and (3) T Hankhanpao (Singhat A/C).

In the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2012, only 5 candidates contested. They were (1) Michael Koireng who contested at Khundrakpam A/C, (2) AR Khan contested at Kshetrigao A/C, (3) V Hangkhalian contested at Thanlon A/C, (4) Haokholet Kipgen contested at Saitu A/C and (5) K. William contested at Saikot A/C. but none of them could return.

Those who were presidents of the NPP, Manipur State were (1) N Ibomcha Singh (Tera Laimu), (2) K Brajamohon Dev Sharma, (3) L Birendra and (4) V Hangkhalian.

RK Ranjit was the candidate of 1991, 10th Lok Sabha Election in the Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency on NPP ticket and Seikhohao was the candidate of Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency in the 10th Lok Sabha. They were not elected.

At present, in Manipur, National office bearers of NPP looking after the functioning of the Manipur State Unit office bearers have been withdrawn.

This is for election of new office bearers. At first the election symbol of NPP was Scale. NPP did not participate in the 8th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election in 2002. At that time it was like defunct. After this since the middle of 2006 the party began to move but in the 2007 Assembly Election ECI did not give its earlier symbol 'Scale'. Instead, "Book" was given as its symbol.

PA Sangma launched NPP as a new National Party and gift of the new year 2013 at Delhi on 5th January 2013.

At this he announced his former friend and Union Minister Arvind Netam (Chattisgarh) as Working President and RL Meena (Rajasthan), RC Verma (Rajasthan) and Veena Nair as Vice-presidents, Arun Tripathi as Gen Secretary, AK Goel as National Secretaries.

Ajang Khongsai from Manipur also worked as General Secretary of the party already.

PA Sangma also announced that NPP has become a partner of NDA.

Shri PA Sangma has claimed that his NPP can be joined by everybody but it should be a tribal centric party. The party will focus at the beginning in the tribal areas of several States including Andhra Pradesh, Maharastra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odissa, North Bengal and North-East.

With the skillful strategy of PA Sangma what role will be taken by NPP in the ensuing Assembly Elections of Nagaland andMeghalaya to be held on Feb 23, 2013 and Tripura which was held on Feb. 14, 2013 and for which the result will be out on Feb. 28, 2013, will be witnessed by time. Let us wait for this up to that time.

Out of these three poll-bound North-East States, the political activities of NPP in Nagaland and Tripura is zero. NPP mainly focused on Meghalaya, PA Sangma's home State.

In Meghalaya, out of 60 A/Cs, NPP contested only in 32 A/Cs and doing seat adjustment with some indepen- dent candidates and some smaller parties in the remaining constituencies. Shri PA. Sangma is not a candidate this time.

Can PA Sangma change the political situation of Manipur in the coming 16th Lok Sabha Election in Manipur, both the Inner and the Outer Parliamentary Constituencies presently repre- sented by the Congress (I) in both seats ?

"Political Party is first of all an organized attempt to set power. Any organization becomes a major party or real party when it is in control of the Government or is able to create and maintain a widespread expectation that it will take over the Government." — E.E. Schattschneither.

Concluded....