The ruling BJP is facing the problem of plenty in Manipur with the number of aspiring candidates seeking a ticket ranging from four to eight in almost all assembly constituencies in the valley districts, which account for 40 seats. The remaining 20 seats in hill districts too have multiple ticket seekers.
While the BJP claims it is the sign of a “saffron wave” for its good governance and an indicator that it would be able to get two-third majority by winning 40 seats in the 60-member House, the opposition Congress has said it is a manifestation of breakdown in the party considering the infighting among aspirants.
The claims made by Manipur PCC president and senior legislator N Loken Singh and party spokesperson Kh Debrabrata Singh of infighting among BJP ticket seekers has begun to surface in some constituencies with sporadic violence among workers.
Political analysts have also predicted that the BJP would be challenged by those who fail to get party tickets. Many of the rejected aspirants would either switch over to other parties or fight as independent candidates against the BJP candidate in a particular seat, they said.
The observers said the heavy rush for a BJP ticket cannot be taken as a sign that they love the party. Most of them only yearn for power, considering the BJP’s rule in both the state and the Centre. They have no political principles, and the same trend happened when leaders from other parties switched to the Congress and sought its tickets when the party ruled both Manipur and the Centre, they said.
Rejecting the opposition claims and the analysts’ observations, BJP senior vice-president N Nimbus Singh said that the party, considering the numerous ticket seekers and internal differences in some seats, has already started talks to chalk out an amicable solution in each constituency. “Our exercise has borne fruit in many seats as all aspirants have unanimously resolved to support the one who would be given the party ticket in the polls. We will cover all seats to ensure we command two-third majority,” Nimbus added.
Chief minister N Biren Singh, who has also separately began talks with the ticket aspirants of some seats, said they all agreed to support the one who gets the BJP ticket. He said the large number of ticket seekers is beneficial for the party as supporters of the left-out aspirants would vote for the BJP candidates to make them victorious.
Nimbus said the party candidates would be announced in three phases.
The Congress, which ruled for three terms in a row till 2017 under the leadership of party strongman Okram Ibobi Singh and the current opposition leader, has been working hard to return back to power. However, the defection of over 10 legislators in the last one year has weakened the party. Nevertheless, the Congress claimed it knew how to fight back.
- Multiple sources