Picking holes in BJP dispensation Ibobi back in his elements
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O Ibobi is back in his elements and showed this in clear cut terms in taking digs at some of the flagship programmes launched by ex-Chief Minister N Biren and at the same time in showing solidarity with the people at the grassroots level. And he could not have chosen a better day than October 2, a day widely observed as Gandhi Jayanti. The then BJP led Government introduced the Go to Hills, Go to Village campaign with much brouhaha but yet at the same has overlooked to devolve power to the grassroot level keeping at bay elections to the Autonomous District Councils, the Municipal Councils including Imphal Municipal Corporation, the Gram Panchayats and Zilla Parishads, was a point delivered by the former Congress Chief Minister. O Ibobi certainly knew where and how to hit dubbing the present PR administration as an extension of the BJP Government. And in doing this, the former Chief Minister spoke about how elections to the ADCs have been kept on hold for a prolonged period, even though the last ADC term ended in 2020 and no fresh elections have been held. The BJP led Government came to power in Imphal after the 2017 Assembly election and the term of the last ADC ended when the saffron party was in its first stint in power. Same is the case with Imphal Municipal Corporation after its term ended in 2021. Only the Government can answer why elections of the ADCs have not been held for five years now but this does not go well with the call for devolving power to the grassroot level and certainly goes against the understanding of local self Government. After a gap of 20 years elections to the ADCs were held in 2010 followed by another in 2015. And since 2020 there has been no elections to the ADCs, bringing back the old days when no elections were held for 20 years. It is this failure to hold the elections that the Congress has latched on to and this is something which can and should stick. No reasons for keeping the ADC elections at bay have been officially spelt out, though the creation of new districts in the winter of 2016 could be one reason. This has however not stopped the Congress in scoring points where it matters and the longer the BJP continues to sleep over issues which are deemed important at the grassroot level, the better placed the Congress would be in the perception of the people. That Manipur is under PR now is a line that would not cut ice with the people for it is clear that the then popularly election BJP Government slept over this till January 2025.
It is not only the failure of the BJP led Government to conduct elections to the local bodies but the very act of putting in its own handpicked men and women to head the local bodies such as Gram Panchayat and Zilla Parishad that would not have gone unnoticed to the people. Same was with the case of the ADCs when some arrangements were made to have it manned by some officials. Riding rough shod over the rural areas and more particularly hill areas and this is a sentiment that will find takers with the people in rural areas and the hills. A situation which the Congress would not fail to capitalise upon. As things stand today, the people of Imphal have begun to ask when the next elections to the 27 wards of Imphal Municipal Corporations are likely to be held and for good reasons, for remember each ward has not had a Corporator or members since 2021. And four years is a pretty long time. Why were elections to the Imphal Municipal Corporation not held on time ? Again no reason has been officially spelt out, but this certainly has not gone down well with the people. A situation, which the Congress again would seek to capitalise upon. Failure to take Manipur to the path of normalcy even after more than 2 years of the violence erupting in 2023, failure to open the National Highways, failure to resettle the many displaced people, failure to hold election to the local bodies and clearly the BJP does not seem to be on a strong wicket, but then as is popularly said in Manipur, come election and things will change. 2027 is still two years away.
It is not only the failure of the BJP led Government to conduct elections to the local bodies but the very act of putting in its own handpicked men and women to head the local bodies such as Gram Panchayat and Zilla Parishad that would not have gone unnoticed to the people. Same was with the case of the ADCs when some arrangements were made to have it manned by some officials. Riding rough shod over the rural areas and more particularly hill areas and this is a sentiment that will find takers with the people in rural areas and the hills. A situation which the Congress would not fail to capitalise upon. As things stand today, the people of Imphal have begun to ask when the next elections to the 27 wards of Imphal Municipal Corporations are likely to be held and for good reasons, for remember each ward has not had a Corporator or members since 2021. And four years is a pretty long time. Why were elections to the Imphal Municipal Corporation not held on time ? Again no reason has been officially spelt out, but this certainly has not gone down well with the people. A situation, which the Congress again would seek to capitalise upon. Failure to take Manipur to the path of normalcy even after more than 2 years of the violence erupting in 2023, failure to open the National Highways, failure to resettle the many displaced people, failure to hold election to the local bodies and clearly the BJP does not seem to be on a strong wicket, but then as is popularly said in Manipur, come election and things will change. 2027 is still two years away.