Witoubou Newmai
The trouble in the BJP led coalition government in Manipur appears to come in handy for the Congress party. That is what it appears at the moment. And that is also very much of what the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) seems to read the situation. Time will tell us whether the new development has given fillips to the opposition (Congress party) for real.
However, as fragile as the stature of many politicians who consider themselves as leaders, it is to be read that, given the number configuration in the present set up in the Manipur Legislative Assembly, it will be only a ‘fragile majority’ for any of the two sides claiming ‘majority’. We are saying this because, in electoral politics, most situations and developments are often determined and guided by nothing else, but brazen political opportunism.
As egregious betrayal at one moment and grinning embracing in the next minute are synonymous cultures in any coalition government in India; internal contradictions, switch-siding, bringing down and forming are what politics is all about, which goes without saying, it is not unprecedented for any of the political parties and politicians to make, remake and unmake a government. That is what has prevailed in Manipur now. One thing that is for sure at the moment is: Nobody is rave-sure of what next.
For the beleaguered N Biren Singh government, one of the advantages has been that the BJP is in command at the Centre. With this background, observers’ curiosity of what ‘magic’ the trouble-shooters of the BJP will bring from New Delhi to sail past this Herculean hurdle in Manipur has heightened. As the BJP looks for a longer stint in the State, the party’s protégés must be burning the midnight oil to address the situation.
Interestingly, Manipur goes to the Rajya Sabha poll on June 19, which will be a litmus test for both the sides. This Rajya Sabha poll issue has also assiduously factored in the prevailing scenario in the State.
In the 2017 assembly election of Manipur, the Congress won 28 seats of the 60-Legislative Assembly, the BJP won 21, Naga People’s Front (NPF) 4, National People’s Party (NPP) 4, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) 1, LJP 1 and one Independent. Interestingly, with the new development, the Manipur Legislative Assembly has now a depleted Legislative Assembly of 56 members. The then Forest Minister, Th Shyamkumar was disqualified as a member last month, and now three BJP MLAs have resigned from the Assembly.
It needs a fuller study to see the degree of the disgruntlement of the three BJP MLAs—Samuel Jendai of Tamenglong Assembly Constituency, TT Haokip of Henglep Assembly Constituency and Soibam Subhaschandra of Naoriya Pakhanglakpa Assembly constituency---who have gone too far to the extent of even resigning not only from the primary membership of the party but also resigned as MLAs.
Meanwhile, as for now, the Governor and the Assembly Speaker in the scene and their decisions will determine to a great extent in political upheavals as witnessed at the moment in Manipur.
(This Editorial was filed at 7:30 pm of June 18, and therefore, any new development occurred after this timeline may not find reflected in it).
