As Manipur enters last week of election campaign choosing carefully matters

John Phaltual *

Polling for 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly election at Khoupum, Nungba on 08 March 2017 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

Candidates are getting a bit nervous about the upcoming State Assembly as the high-decibel campaigning for 60 Manipur Assembly seats which are going to the polls on February 27 came to an end on Saturday evening as senior leaders made a last-ditch campaign for their party candidates.

Candidates are all struggling to be elected as the next leaders. They worry about whether they are smart enough to win the poll, can they do the right thing, and will the majority of the people vote for them? The two dominating political parties, the BJP, and the Congress are vying with all arsenal at their disposal, even the national icon Modiji and Rahulji campaigning in this final week before the poll.

Campaigning for the BJP ahead of the Assembly polls, PM Narendra Modi and his acolytes were addressing a public meeting rally at the Luwangshangbam sports complex in Imphal on Tuesday. While they have been asking voters to again go for a second-inning government, a reference to the same party being in power at the Centre and in the state, to ensure development, equality, maintain law and law and territorial integrity of the state, the opposition parties like the Congress under the behest of Rahul Gandhi has slams, PM Modi, at a rally in Imphal Hatta Kangjeibam on Monday.

The Congress leader Rahulji has targeted the saffron party on issues like price rise, lack of providing governance to the people’s doorstep for not conducting the Autonomous District Council (ADC) elections in the hill districts for the last five years, and alleged divisive agenda by assaulting the culture, history, tradition, and language of Manipur.

And while all opinion polls projected the BJP enjoying an edge over others, they were not seen to gain the absolute majority, so, the possibilities around the next governing coalition are manifold and have never been quite so complex. There could be more parties in the mix for a possible coalition, the JD (U), NPP, NPF, Independent, and others.

Nuances on many important issues affecting Manipur could be quite distinct depending on the coalition make-up: the AFSPA, the controversial three bills, Naga issues, the contentious Koubru dispute, from basic development projects to sports, security, and insurgency matters.

Conflicts of interest: Should leaders be elected on merit or on party affiliation?

Political parties play a vital role in a democracy. The parties organized groups of people who share a set of similar political aims and opinions and try to influence public policy by getting their candidates elected. But they also perform many other tasks, for they serve as institutionalized mediators between society and the duly elected representatives who are responsible for deciding and implementing policies.

Elections should take into consideration on the strength and integrity of the individual, without political affiliation. Individuals who are denied a ticket from regional or national parties should be allowed to form a caucus, but independent of political parties.

The beauty of such a system is that the candidates would be chosen on merit and on the content of their ideologies and manifestos. This system is not without its faults, but, importantly, it leaves the governing of people to people. There would be less chance of political parties dictating to the various constituencies.

Such a system would also encourage political leaders to work together as a collective rather than pursuing a political agenda or set of instructions issued from the outside. Obsessed party loyalty is a dangerous trait that should be avoided. To continue with party-based politics is to assume, incorrectly, that the public is merely incubators for political parties. Not only does it create potential conflicts on constituencies but it also makes political leaders pawns in politicians’ games.

Militant organizations a new normal norm in elections

One very atypical is pitching the question of militant organizations' issues. The issue of arm insurgency is on the backbench as it did not feature in debate and TV talk shows. The various roles they have in public matters make them a de-facto integral part of the society and which become tacitly the new normal in political elections. The implicit nexus of politicians and the so-called arms nationalist groups were no longer alarming bells in Manipur for policy concerns.

Despite Militants groups denying lobbying for a particular candidate of their choice, some factions are not shy in expressing their political leaning. The support from any militant group could prove to be a game-changer. Various hill-based militant organizations, which are in talks with the government after signing suspension of operation (SoO) agreements, are now openly, if not allusively throwing their weight behind candidates of their choice.

Having signed the SoO agreement, the government has always set up polling booths even in the designated camps for people to cast their votes. So, for militants to support a party or candidate is simply exercising their constitutional rights, so, some are not shy in expressing their political leaning. The outfit would cast vote for a government that has done a favor to their community by allowing them to express their political views.

Some may say that candidates from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) have the backing of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak- Muivah), while some can claim that Kuki militants support certain candidates or parties. There's no point in mudslinging. Both are trying to solve their issues, so there is no point in commenting whether they have nexus with these underground outfits or not. Yet, various militant outfits and its frontal CSO refrain from interfering in poling activities in their dominated areas.

In Manipur, very few citizens are aware of the consequences of where they will put their vote on Election Day, for Manipur the hypocrisy of talk on real unity takes a backstage. The lack of interest in Unity and territorial integrity can be certainly spotlit from the lack of debate on this issue. In Manipur, nobody is talking sincerely about state unity. In Manipur, everybody is talking about First-Own-ethnic and area-based interest.

And the reason the leading candidates did not talk about real Manipur Unity - apart from the moderators simply not asking them – wasn’t down to ignorance but out of practical uselessness. The omission of the fundamental issues showed much dismay for the people. Or is there some kind of media or party agreement not to bring it up, or is there parochial mediocracy?

New blood against ceremonial veteran politicians

In this coming election, there are many dynamic contenders which will go up against battle-hardened politicians. Many constituencies are to witness a tight contest this time, thanks to the profile of the candidates.

Former Manipur Director General of Police LM Khaute and former decorated super cop Thounaojam Brinda Devi are among the 30 candidates named by the Janata Dal (United). LM Khaute will be contesting from Churachandpur (ST) constituency and Mrs. Brinda will contest from the Yaiskul assembly constituency. The pragmatic visionary man and owner of The Sangai Express daily newspapers Nishikant Singh Sapam will contest as an Independent candidate in Keishamthong Constituency.

The young and dynamic former Deputy Secretary of Lok Shaba (Parliament) Paolenlal Haokip is to contest in BJP ticket the Saikot AC (ST) in Churachandpur, the spirited Congress candidate of Saitu Assembly Constituency Dr. Lamtinthang Haokip and from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) party the energetic leader Leishiyo Keishing for 43 Phungyar AC (ST), and Ram Muivah (IAS Retd) for 44 Ukhrul AC (ST).

The good news for these vibrant candidates is that they pursued policies that are tailored to Modern- leaning Manipurians. In past cycles, the state has been like the football in the Peanuts comic strip: the Ruling as Charlie Brown, always expecting to nail it, and the Opposition as Lucy, always swiping it away at the last moment.

Affable and accessible, I see in them as the future of Manipur who looks beyond the aisle of partisan politics. I see in them the deep desire to turn the long-held dream of real development and unity in Manipur into fruition. And I hope with goal clarity, passion, transparency, accountability, and determination, they will help in metamorphosing vision into action.

So, Manipur will go to the polls in two phases. In the first phase, polling will be held on February 27 in 38 assembly seats, and in the second phase, polling will be held on March 3 in 22 assembly constituencies. The counting of votes will be taken up together on the 10th of March.

How should we choose our world leaders? Remember your choices have long-term impacts on government policy, budget allocations, and the community that gets created in the future.

Choosing carefully matters. Your vote is your voice, your vision, and your road map to the future.