• Aribam Biswajit

Manipur cabinet minister Th. Biswajit Singh on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has fulfilled the promises made to the people during the Manipur assembly election campaigns, in the last five years; therefore, the party will easily form the government again by winning more than 40 seats.

“We promised a bandh and blockade-free Manipur; we have fulfilled it. To protect the indigenous population of the state, we have brought the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system,” Biswajit said, addressing a meeting organized as part of his flag hoisting program at Nigomthong Bazaar under the Thongju assembly constituency in Imphal.

The minister said the Congress party must accept the fact that the Bharatiya Janata Party has extinguished the challenges the people of Manipur faced during their period. “Now, the people of Manipur do not have to queue up outside the filling stations overnight just to get a liter of petrol,” Biswajit added.

The state minister said that the Bharatiya Janata Party has also fulfilled Manipur’s dream of better road and air connectivity, which the previous governments neglected.

“The BJP government has improved the road connectivity, including the prominent bridges. Moreover, the government has started setting up trans highways. In addition, the railways have now connected at Rani Gaidinliu station, and it will reach Imphal in the next two years. Further, it will connect with southeast Asian countries, thereby boosting the state’s economic condition,” a confident Biswajit said. 

“Peace will prevail where there is the Bharatiya Janata Party, and I want to assure the people that the party will protect the territorial integrity, preserve the rights of the indigenous people of Manipur and its rich cultural heritage,” Biswajit said, citing the BJP’s election manifesto for ensuing Manipur election. 

A star campaigner of BJP in Manipur, Assam Chief Minister Himata Biswa Sarma, extolled Biswajit, saying that BJP has enormous respect and place for him, and he deserved more than 90 percent of the total votes.

“Have him win this election, and I believe he will work tremendously to better Manipur. Only your blessings are necessary,” Sarma told the crowd.

Speaking on the occasion, Manipur BJP president A Sharda Devi extolled Biswajit, saying that he took an important role in tackling crucial issues Manipur has encountered in the last five years.

“I witnessed him helping the residents of the Thongju assembly constituency during the flood and other natural calamities day and night. I want to say that no other representatives have done what Biswajit has done in the constituency. The Thongju residents need to choose him to serve this locality for a long time, given his outstanding work carried out in the area. There is no other candidate like him in this constituency. He always adheres to the idea of the BJP and fulfills the needs of the people. Therefore, he is best suited to be a candidate of BJP,” Shada endorsed Biswajit.

BJP Manipur in charge and national spokesperson Dr. Sambit Patra concurred with the confidence of Biswajit on winning more than 40 seats.

He said: “The difference in the number of people who attended Rahul Gandhi’s meeting on Monday and that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s on Tuesday highlighted who is winning this election. The Congress party is not going to touch even double digits in Manipur. This is my prophecy. And the Bharatiya Janata Party will win more than 40 seats this time.”

He also launched a scathing attack on political parties contesting against BJP in the upcoming polls.

Attacking the National People’s Party, Patra said: “This election is for Manipur and the welfare and development of its people. Therefore, Manipur’s governance cannot be done by Shillong; it should not be done from Meghalaya. Therefore, Delhi and Manipur will work for the welfare of Manipur; no other things should come between.”

Explaining that NPP is the acronym of “Note, Paisa, Paisa,” Patra said the BJP wouldn’t allow them to earn from Manipur and take it to Meghalaya. The JDU’s arrow, Patra mocked, won’t hit the target as it was shot from a long distance, but the lotus should bloom.

Manipur witnessed extensive election campaigns where different parties escalated war of words to woo voters in the last few days. For BJP, apart from incumbent Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Th Biswajit is anticipated as one of the probable contenders for the Chief Minister’s post for the next term if the BJP forms government. For the 60-seat Manipur Legislative Assembly, 20, 48, 169 electorates will vote in two phases on February 28 and March 5. The votes will count on March 10.