Stand to contest coming Assembly polls The stake is Manipur
|
At least 7/8 months away but a number of youngsters and the not so young have already made their intention clear to contest the next Assembly elections. This is good and is an indication that there are quite a number of individuals out there who are more than willing to jump in and see if they can play a bigger role in the decision making process. In as much as some personalities have gone public with their intention to contest the next Assembly polls, the Manipur Youth League (MAYOL) continues with its campaign christened, ‘Politics : Vote for National Regeneration’ and it remains to be seen if the call of MAYOL will have any impact on the outcome of the elections. It also stands that when Manipur goes to polls in the early part of next year, or when it is held, the election will be held against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict situation in the State and it will be a sort of a referendum on how the BJP led Government has dealt with the issue. This is, if one goes by logical deduction, but then there will be some and maybe quite rightly so, who may come up with the stand that Manipur need not be understood or viewed only against the ongoing conflict situation. There are other important factors too that needs serious attention and people should be left free to decide which party is deemed to be best placed to address the different issues besieging the State. How these issues are presented to the people will depend largely on the different political parties as well as the candidates themselves, but the ultimate choice lies with the people. The past three years will certainly impact on the behaviour of the voters and the choice they make, but at the same time it is only logical to question oneself, whether any other political party/ies, other than the BJP and its partners in Government, would be better equipped to deal with the situation. This is where one can expect debates and arguments to ensue as Manipur keeps marching towards election day. And as stated, much will depend on how the different political parties and their candidates present their views and interpretation to the people. For example, would the Congress have been in a better position to deal with the situation in a more satisfying manner ? Or is a regional political party the answer to lay down the position of Manipur in the most effective manner ? No easy answer here, but the fact of the matter is, many have started questioning why Manipur should continue to kow tow to the fancy and whims of Delhi, when it should be asserting its stand. The very fact that this line is being floated amongst the more politically aware section of people can also be taken to mean as some sort of a question to the ruling dispensation under the BJP.
Still early days and there will be no easy answer on what issues will actually catch the imagination of the voters or what will stir them into taking a final stand on who to vote for. It is also still unclear on how voters actually make up their mind before casting their vote. Is it purely the personal quality of the candidate in question or does the party on which ticket he or she is contesting the deciding factor ? This question is important for it is not uncommon to hear the line, ‘The party is secondary, what we are looking at is the personal quality of the candidate.’ At the other end of the spectrum there could be people sticking to this position, ‘Even if God contest on the ticket of this party, he will not get my vote.’ Part of the election masala one may say but this is what makes it so interesting. The uncertainty, the promises, the dreams of the voters all combined go together to make up the great election masala, no doubt, but yet at the same it should not be forgotten that the choice of the people can go a long way in deciding which direction Manipur veers towards in the coming years. And this is where the need for conscientious voting becomes important and the call of MAYOL to the people to be aware of their rights and responsibilities while exercising their franchise rights becomes all that more relevant. Whatever choice one makes, it is important to ensure that the vote is not sold or the candidate did not get it for a price. The stake is Manipur. This is important and this is where the responsibilities of the voters become crucial.
Still early days and there will be no easy answer on what issues will actually catch the imagination of the voters or what will stir them into taking a final stand on who to vote for. It is also still unclear on how voters actually make up their mind before casting their vote. Is it purely the personal quality of the candidate in question or does the party on which ticket he or she is contesting the deciding factor ? This question is important for it is not uncommon to hear the line, ‘The party is secondary, what we are looking at is the personal quality of the candidate.’ At the other end of the spectrum there could be people sticking to this position, ‘Even if God contest on the ticket of this party, he will not get my vote.’ Part of the election masala one may say but this is what makes it so interesting. The uncertainty, the promises, the dreams of the voters all combined go together to make up the great election masala, no doubt, but yet at the same it should not be forgotten that the choice of the people can go a long way in deciding which direction Manipur veers towards in the coming years. And this is where the need for conscientious voting becomes important and the call of MAYOL to the people to be aware of their rights and responsibilities while exercising their franchise rights becomes all that more relevant. Whatever choice one makes, it is important to ensure that the vote is not sold or the candidate did not get it for a price. The stake is Manipur. This is important and this is where the responsibilities of the voters become crucial.