June 18, Pillai Optimism & Leadership crisis in Manipur BJP

Seram Neken *

BJP Party's Prime Ministerial candidate arrives at Imphal on 08 Feb 2014 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

When under-performers enter BJP for their opportunistic gains, it will only be 'Old wine in new bottle'.

Faith is not to be hijacked overnight. It takes time to earn confidence of the people. BJP's awesome success in the recent polls at national level does not necessarily mean that the party would have its stronghold in Manipur too. Really speaking, BJP today has a poor strength in Manipur politics. It has to go a long way to gain confidence of the people of Manipur. State BJP has to demonstrate some concrete achievements to its people so as to build its own image in power politics.

Ongoing leadership crisis within the state BJP unit being surfaced in the newspaper front pages in post-inauguration of Modi government is really a disgrace to the party, for which the people of Manipur as a whole feel ashamed of in front of the national leaders. Polarization within the party rank and file is untimely and suicidal, and it only defaces BJP's image in Manipur. BJP in Manipur is in its bud now.

Amidst the nationwide BJP wave during the last elections, its candidates in Manipur could not even be in the runners-up positions. The whole set up of BJP in Manipur still needs to take time to brighten its reputation. It is not time to fight for leadership. Rather it is time to show-off unity, commitment and action, amid the crises facing the state.

Almost all the past BJP chiefs in Manipur have, in fact, nothing concrete to present to its people as their report cards, because the party in Manipur has never had its account in state and national legislature till date. Hence, the war of words between and among the president aspirants of the party would be a futile exercise in public view.

Time has come for the state BJP to comfortably take advantage of its power at the centre and strive to win the people by taking up the most-alarming state issues. Border imbroglio, AFSPA entangle, unsafe highways, price rise, questions of emotional integrity and territorial discord etc. etc. have filled the atmosphere in Manipur. The people of Manipur can hardly confide in the system, until and unless these issues are addressed by the rulers.

Now the June 18 ghost has apparently started to haunt the region with the murmurings all around. Dream for a Nagaland accord in the line of Mizoram's, and former Home secretary GK Pillai's recent optimistic instigation on the age-old Naga-problem are serious matters which the Manipur politicians must ponder and do home-work. It is also worth recalling that infamous June 18 incident occurred during BJP regime at the centre.

Instead of addressing these burning issues, it is amazing that BJP Manipur unit has developed an immature leadership crisis which is highly unexpected for the time being. Here, let me apprise the BJP leaders that they are required to present their report card to the people first, by way of accomplishing some tangible achievements, and then the people will decide who is quite fit for the president's post.

Meanwhile, speculations loiter here and there that BJP is going to open its account in the state assembly with the MLAs supposed to be merged from other political parties. Excitingly, numerous MLAs in other parties are knocking the BJP door to grasp power behind the luminary of Narendra Modi. However, it is too early for the aspirant MLAs to presume a treasure in it without having the keys in themselves.

Hasty decisions may spoil the credibility of elected politicians, because elections have just ended. Politicians who opposed the saffron party tooth and nail during the just concluded Lok Sabha elections are reportedly opting to join the party with the ambition of mongering power. In politics, effective leadership calls for ideology and commitment. Let us remember that Narendra Modi is not a born leader. It took years in nurturing Modi on the Hindutva platform, and in instilling nationalistic ideals in his personality. Effective leaders are not constructed overnight, just as the saying 'Rome was not built in a day'.

To shun the parent party for the sake of power is a convention in party politics, but it automatically comes with time and situation. Building confidence of the people with some valued performance is also needed in politics. BJP wave could not reach Manipur during the last elections, while the whole India rejected the so-called misrule of the Congress party. Anti-incumbency factor was almost non-existent in the state, even when some major Indian states uprooted Gandhi family's hegemony because of its endless scams and mis-governance.

As such, Congress in Manipur has successfully retained the state's three seats in Parliament as against the wishes of majority Indians. The reason behind the election outcome of Manipur appears to be that people lack faith in BJP as a political party. So, it is time to build the confidence of the people by demonstrating some tangible pro-people actions pertaining to Manipur.

When BJP successfully accomplishes some highly serious wishes of the people, they will automatically begin to cherish the party to the extent that no other party will be able to hinder its pace. Manipur politicians are trying to pluck the fruits in its bud ahead of its ripe. Let the BJP grow and work for the people, then follow it.

Meanwhile, politicians also need to identify themselves with their sincerity, commitment and actions. Party will not decide their quality. Under performers will always be underperformers, performers will always be performers. When under-performers enter BJP for their opportunistic gains, it will only be 'Old wine in new bottle'. Although India is under process of Modi-Fication now, Manipur will take some more time in testifying the BJP. Let us be patient.